Sinabi ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte noong Lunes na posible niyang sundin ang mungkahi ni dating Senador Juan Ponce Enrile hinggil sa mga kritiko ng kanyang palisiya sa West Philippine Sea.

“Maybe I will just ignore my critics who derail me from my official duties,” ani Duterte sa kanyang taped briefing, na dinaluhan din ni Enrile.

“I will just say that after talking with Senator Enrile, you guys have become irrelevant to me,” dagdag pa ng Pangulo.

“That’s the best thing, Mr. President.  Just let them be. After all, you are only responsible for the Filipino people, and you are not responsible to any specific person for your foreign policy. Yours is to protect the interest of the nation and its people in the best way you can,” tugon naman ni Enrile.

“Instead of making China as a foe or irritate China, why don’t we befriend China without surrendering our rights? We will befriend China because we are Orientals. We understand each other,” dagdag pa ng dating senador.

Nagbabala ito laban sa agresibong pagkompronta sa China.

“The approach should be friendly — not a hard, assertive, and aggressive approach,” paliwanag ni Enrile.

Aniya, “We don’t need a hotheaded approach in this issue because that issue has a great deal to do not only with the economy of the Philippines but also the security of our country, of our countrymen.”