A day after calling China a bully, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana yesterday said it is "comforting" that China gave the assurance it would not fire the first shot in disputed areas in the South China Sea. However, National Security Adviser Hermofenes Esperon Jr. said no country will announce it will fire the first shot and start a war. "Any country can say that, 'We will not fire the first shot,"' he said adding that any country who will claim to fire the first shot will be admitting "guilt."

Reyes, V. (2019, August 19). 'Of course, China won't say it will fire first shot'. Malaya Business Insight, pp. B1, B5.