「日刊まにら新聞」ウェブ

President Rodrigo Duterte again blamed on Sunday the United States for not stopping China in constructing garrison in the disputed South China Sea.

The Chief Executive made the statement following reports that China's air force landed bombers, including the top-of-the-line H-6K, on its artificial island in the disputed South China Sea.

"They (US) allowed China to grow, build a garrison there, put the cannons and their missiles. Now they are squeezing me," Duterte said in a speech in Negros Occidental.

Echoing what former President Benigno Aquino III had said, it was only US which had the capability to stop China when it started construction in the South China Sea.

Duterte was being criticized for his apparent inaction to stop China from its ongoing militarization of the disputed waters.

When Duterte assumed office in 2016, he has taken a softer stance with China and put at the back burner the award of the arbitral tribunal in favor of the Philippines, invalidating China's sovereign and historic claim in almost the entire South China Sea.

Duterte admitted that China informed him of its activities in its artificial islands.

"At the back of the Spratlys, there's an airway there...I know because they told me," Duterte said, citing that the information was relayed to him during his trips to China.

The President visited China for three times already since he assumed office.

Duterte also called US a "hypocrite" and "crazy" for trying to be friend with his administration when in fact the administration of Barack Obama tried to undermine his authority.

"You Americans, you, who are listening now, you are all crazy...you think we are all stupid and you are all bright," he said.

Obama had criticized the Duterte administration on its bloody war on illegal drugs. Celerina Monte/DMS