April 20, 2021 10:39 pm | Updated 10:39 pm IST
Manila: In this photo provided by the Malacanang Presidential Photographers Division, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he meets members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines on Thursday April 15, 2021. Duterte said it's uncertain when the Philippines can get adequate COVID-19 vaccines while warning more people will die and “the worst of times” is yet to come. AP/PTI Photo(AP04_16_2021_000025A)
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he is willing to deploy military ships to the South China Sea to assert the country’s claim over oil deposits in a contested part of the waterway. He has faced growing domestic criticism for his reluctance to confront China over its activities in Philippine-claimed waters.
“When we start to mine, when we start to get whatever it is in the bowels of the China sea, our oil, then by that time... I will send my grey ships there to state a claim,” he said.
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