FORMER Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Atty. Salvador Panelo finds it amusing that the Philippines is demanding 60 million pesos from China due to the June 17th incident in the South China Sea.
“You know, that’s another funny thing. We are demanding [₱60 million for damages] that’s why… don’t we always say that as far as China is concerned, [the South China Sea] is theirs?”
“So, if you go into that, we will make a way to destroy you, hurt you, or, it’s funny… why would we demand [₱60 million] damages from them when from their point of view, we are the ones at fault?” Atty. Salvador ‘Sal’ Panelo, Former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel said.
This was the reaction of former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Atty. Salvador Panelo with regard to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) demanding ₱60 million from China.
This amount is for the damages from the June 17th incident in the South China Sea.
It can be recalled that some of the AFP’s equipments were damaged by the China Coast Guard during Manila’s rotation and resupply mission for Filipino troops in Ayungin Shoal.
A Philippine Navy officer also lost a finger during the said incident.
But China refuses to pay the damages being demanded by the Philippines and said that it should face the consequences of its own actions.
“The Philippine vessels were carrying out an illegal “resupply mission” which violated China’s territorial waters and staging a provocation when stopped by China Coast Guard, who acted lawfully and rightfully to defend China’s sovereignty. The Philippine side should face the consequences of its own action.” “You know, this is funny—funny and annoying—we want to defend ourselves but apparently, we are retrained—restrained and cannot retaliate. They’ve been hurt and all. Apparently, they must not retaliate. They can’t even defend themselves because the instruction is—do not retaliate. Do not defend yourselves,”
“My God. The Filipinos really are pitiful,” Atty. Salvador ‘Sal’ Panelo, Former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel said.
Atty. Panelo still believes that a one-on-one dialogue between Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Chinese President Xi Jinping is the key to achieve peace and resolve tensions between the two countries in the contested waters in the South China Sea.
In the end, Atty. Panelo highlighted that China does not have a history of conquering other nations.
“I do not think that China would initiate war because the history of China [is] they do not really conquer [other countries] – they are always defensive. Also, one more thing, for that matter, against the interest of the world to be having nuclear wars.”
“They must know that.”
“They should know that nothing will happen if there is a war, especially if we will all disappear from this world,” Paneo added.
