Nilinaw ng Malacañang na “sarcastic” o nang-aasar lamang si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte nang sabihing ini-invoke nito ang US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) laban sa China.
Sa isang panayam, inihayag ni Pangulong Duterte na hinihikayat na nito ang US na dalhin ang 7th Fleet sa West Philippine Sea at siya mismo ay sasama sa pakikipaggiyera sa China.
Sinabi ni Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, alam naman ni Pangulong Duterte na hindi maaaring gamitin ang Mutual Defense Treaty na walang armed attack sa alinmang partido sa tratado.
Ayon kay Sec. Panelo, nais lang ipamukha ni Pangulong Duterte na kalokohan ang pahayag ng mga kritiko na dapat agresibong igiit ang arbitral ruling sa West Philippine Sea.
Inihayag ni Sec. Panelo na pinakamainam na paraan pa rin ang diplomatic negotiation sa China.
“Still the same. Because he knows that you cannot invoke that treaty without any armed assault or attack against any of the parties in that treaty. He kept on saying that by way of putting into absurdity the criticism by the critics and detractors – and challenging them that in the event of any armed attack and the treaty will be operational, then these critics and detractors which the President has named should go with him in defending the West Philippine Sea,” ani Sec. Panelo.
