Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on Friday hailed President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s call for China to temper its behavior in the West Philippine Sea amid reports that Beijing warned a Philippine military aircraft that had flown over its man-made islands in the disputed region. “We want to respectfully commend President Duterte on his recent remarks about China’s aggressive and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea. Nine out of 10 Filipinos would be encouraged and inspired by this manifestation of our President’s positive leadership,” Del Rosario said. The former DFA chief was speaking at the “Challenge to a Rules-Based International System: Moving Forward” forum organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute in Taguig City.

Mariano, N. (2018, August 18). Rody hailed for calling out China on WPS. Manila Standard, p. A2.