Researcher, expert on Duterte being silent about Recto Bank incident: 'saying more might amplify a lot of things'

President Rodrigo Duterte / photo from Philstar

Amid the pressure put on the President’s shoulder after the Recto Bank incident, two experts, however, agreed on how he handled the ramming of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese vessel incident.

On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte finally made a statement after a week of silence since the incident happened saying he prefers to wait for the final results of the investigation.

With this, Lucio Pitlo III, a researcher from Asia Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation, Inc., said the President’s move was the right way to do it.

"It's understandable that the people would demand the President to speak out. But it is also understandable [that he restrained himself] because if the President says something about an incident that involves another country, it amplifies a lot of things," says Pitlo.

He said that while the investigation is ongoing, it was the duty of Foreign Affairs to speak about the matter.

"From that context, I would say the president has been able to handle it. I think for the president to suspend any big statement while the investigation has yet to be concluded is, I think, the right thing to do." Pitlo said

Alberto Encomienda, executive director of the Center for Archipelagic and Regional Seas Law and Policy Studies, also agrees to keep it calm for now.

Adding that it was predictable of the President not to make any big statement about the incident, unless, a full investigation has been made.

He said, Duterte speaking up about it on Monday, was only because of the public’s clamor.

A week after the ramming incident on June 9, the President said it was “maritime incident” and should not cause a war between the Philippines and China.

“What happened in the collision is a maritime incident. Do not believe the dumb politicians who want to send the Philippine Navy. You do not send gray ships there. That is only a collision of ships,” 

Duterte said in a speech during the Philippine Navy’s 121st-anniversary celebration in Sangley Point, Cavite.

“Maritime incident is a maritime incident. It is best investigated. And I do not now issue a statement because there is no investigation and there is no result. Then the only thing we can do is wait and give the other party the right to be heard. That is important,” he said.

Source: GMA News