President Rodrigo Duterte said he prefers to address the country’s sea dispute with China in a diplomatic manner, stressing he wanted to protect the Philippines from an unwanted war with Beijing over the disputed South China Sea. Speaking at the PDP-Laban campaign rally in Agusan del Norte on Sunday, Duterte said soldiers and policemen would just be killed if the Philippines went to war. Duterte said he doubts if America, with which the Philippines has a defense treaty, would come to the country’s defense.

Villanueva, R. U. (2019, April 23). Duterte on sea dispute with China: 'Let's stick to talking'. The Manila Times, p. A2.