CAMP CAPINPIN, RIZAL—President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday warned of a bloody confrontation should China invade the Philippines if talks over our maritime dispute fail.

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“I hope China is dealing with us in good faith. They seem to be conciliatory,” Duterte told troops at the 2nd Infantry Batallion here.

The President said the Philippines would insist our territorial rights over the West Philippine Sea after the United Nations tribunal favored our diplomatic protest with China.

READ: Philippines wins arbitration case vs. China over South China Sea

“Ano ba talaga ang gusto nila (What do they really want)? Because whether we like it or not, that arbitral judgment would be insisted not only by the Philippines but by the whole countries dito sa (here in) Southeast Asia,” he said.

Duterte expressed his fears of what might happen if the Philippines and China would “not understand each other.”

READ: Duterte: PH-China talks to be based on int’l law

“I guarantee to them na kapag kayo pumasok dito (that if they invade our country), it would be bloody. And we will not give it to them easily. It would be the bones of our soldiers, isali niyo na yung akin, pero (include my own but) we will not allow any country to invade the Philippines,” he said.

The chief executive vowed to bring in more men to the military to defend the country amid the request of the Department of National Defense for 20,000 additional soldiers.

He promised to give the military the “best equipment.” RAM

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