FILE PHOTO: President Rodrigo Duterte. Screenshot from PCOO video
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday warned that if Russian President Vladimir Putin decides to use nuclear weapons during his invasion of Ukraine, it might lead to a Chinese “invasion” too.
“If by unfortunate chance, talagang maipit si Putin at tusukin niya ‘yung pula na butones, ah wala na,” said Duterte during his speech following the ceremonial signing of the amendments in the Public Service Act.
(If by unfortunate chance, Putin is cornered and decides to press the red button, all is gone.)
“Then my thinking is ‘pag mag ganoon ‘yan, ang China will invade. Pero sa intelligence briefing, tatamaan talaga tayo. Tatamaan talaga,” he added.
(Then my thinking is if that happens, China will invade. But in the intelligence briefing, we will really be hit. It will really hit)
Duterte said that we would not even know if China already triggered its own nuclear bombs.
“Hindi natin makita ‘yung nuclear, the long-range bombers… Baka pinindot na kanina sa South China Sea. It will reach us – our jurisdiction in seven minutes. Iyong hypersonic ano nila,” he explained.
(We won’t see the nuclear, the long-range bombers… Maybe they were launched earlier in the South China Sea. It will reach us – our jurisdiction in seven minutes. Their hypersonic…)
“So kasali talaga tayo diyan kasi ano, let us not kid each other, nandito ‘yung America. The reason I said why I gave the orders to our military is to allow them unrestricted para matapos na. Huwag lang sana ‘yung China,” he added.
(So we really are involved because let us not kid each other, America is here. The reason why I gave the orders to our military to allow them here unrestricted is so that it’s finished. Just not China.)
Duterte then recalled his meeting with Putin back when he declared martial law in Marawi City.
“Sinabi talaga ni Putin, ‘You know, there is that ruckus. We will try to help you dito sa ano. We will talk to the Chinese para walang gulo lang’,” claimed Duterte.
“Apparently, China never listened also to the advice of anybody. So iyon, tatamaan talaga tayo, sigurado ako (we will surely be hit, I’m sure) But I will not send my soldiers upon the request of anybody to join the cause against Russia,” he added.
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