Published on: Wednesday, May 12, 2021
By: PNA, AFP, Tempo Indonesia
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Duterte reviews the honour guard during the 120th Philippine navy anniversary celebration in 2018. (EPA-EFE)
MANILA: President Rodrigo Duterte rejected speculations that he backed out of a debate with retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio because he is afraid of the former magistrate.
Duterte said he opted out of the debate over concerns that his statements “might bind future actions of government” in relation to the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in the South China Sea.
Japan, the US and France begun their first-ever joint military drills in the region on Tuesday, with Indonesia holding their own sea exercises with China just days earlier.