President Duterte has rejected a call from China to withdraw ships from waters around Pag-asa Island, saying Philippine vessels will “not move an inch backward” even at the cost of his life or his friendship with Beijing. “We have a stand here and I want to state here and now again that ‘yung mga barko natin nandiyan ngayon sa Pag-asa at saan pa (those ships around Pag-asa and elsewhere), we will not move an inch backward,” Duterte said in a pre-recorded conference with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and other Cabinet officials at Malacañang Thursday night. “I will not withdraw, even if you kill me. Our friendship will end here.” The Philippines reportedly has two vessels in the area, as against the hundreds of Chinese ships spotted around the island and in other areas in the West Philippine Sea.

Mendez, C., Punay, E., Bayoran, G., & Romero, P. (2021, May 15). Duterte won't withdraw Phl ships from WPS. The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 2, 4.