President Duterte advised China to lay off Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea, saying the territory belongs to Filipinos. The President said he was not warn­ing China but was giving the Asian giant friendly advice. “I am trying to tell China: Yung Pag-Asa [Island] is ours. We have been there [since] 1974. Kung inyo ‘yan, bakit hindi ninyo pinaalis kami (If that is yours then why haven’t you driven us out of there)?” he said late Thursday evening.

Geducos, A. B., & Kabiling, G. D. (2019, April 6). PH to China: Lay off Pag-asa Island. Manila Bulletin, pp. 1, 10.