MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday called out Vice President Sara Duterte for "belittling" the capability of the Filipino people in defending the country against external threat.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro deplored Duterte's recent statement which insinuated that the Philippines has limited military capability compared to China.
"Even if we are a small nation, if every Filipino stands united, nothing can defeat the courage and valor of a true Filipino," Castro said in Filipino.
The Palace press officer said a "leader should never surrender."
"As the President said, we only have one country, and it is this single nation that we must protect," she added.
"We may have differing opinions on other matters, but love for our country should never be divided," Castro stressed.
"So let us remember, there may already be many Manchurian candidates surrounding our nation. Let us be careful," she added without elaborating.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a Manchurian candidate is a "politically influential person, especially a politician, who is secretly working for or controlled by an unfriendly power, such as an enemy nation or rival party.
During her meeting with Filipinos in Hong Kong, Duterte, in Filipino said, "It is true that we have a dispute in the West Philippine Sea. But the government must consider this: just how big is my gun?" She then raised her pinky finger.
'"[Then] How big is the enemy's gun?" the vice president said, raising her fist to stress her point.
