https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/6/29/duterte-us-china-war-ph-target.html

Former President Rodrigo Duterte has warned that the Philippines would not escape the wrath of China once tensions with the United States rise amid the expanded American military presence in the country.

During a show on SMNI news earlier this week, Dutert said he “regularly” meets with Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to maintain an open discussion and relay that the Philippines “does not have a quarrel with China.”

However, he noted that the Chinese envoy stressed that if the national government “provides places where there can be an aggressive action to China, the Philippines would always be a target.”

Duterte then questioned the Marcos’ administration’s decision to grant the US government more military bases.

“If we are fighting a war and destroying the allies nearby, ang Pilipinas ay tatamaan talaga (the Philippines will surely be hit) because of the presence of military forces of the US," he said. “What is really sad is the Philippines granting military bases for the US.”

He also noted that thinking that the US would not bring nuclear weapons would be “too pretty naive or stupidity.”

“I said by granting America several bases, we can be sure, and I am sure as the sun will rise in the east, that these nuclear bases… will have nuclear warheads,” Duterte said.