Duterte orders Philippines military to occupy disputed islands

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered military personnel to occupy all Philippines-claimed islands in the disputed South China Sea, a media report said.

"We tried to be friends with everybody but we have to maintain our jurisdiction now, at least the areas under our control. And I have ordered the armed forces to occupy all these," CNN quoted Duterte as saying on Thursday during a visit to a military camp in Palawan island.

Duterte said he may raise the Philippines flag on Pagasa Island, also known as Thitu Island, on the country's independence day on June 12.

Thitu is in the Spratly island chain, parts of which are claimed by the Philippines, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.

Under Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino, Philippines won a landmark case at an international tribunal in the Hague, which ruled China had no legal basis for the bulk of its claims in the waters, reports CNN.

"Even those, those vacant (islands) that are considered ours, let's live there," Duterte said.

"It's like we're all competing to take these islands. And what's ours now at least, let's take it and make a strong point there that this is ours," he added.

The President said the Philippines should "fortify" its territory: "(We) must build bunkers or houses there and make provisions for habitation."

--IANS

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