President Rodrigo Duterte may have only made a joke about how China wants the Philippines to become one of its provinces, some netizens certainly were not laughing. They did not take the joke lightly as well, based on their reactions on social media.
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“Ang China naman talaga oh. Gusto tayong gawin na probinsya nila,” Duterte said, as he talked about China’s investment pledges to the Philippines. These include the bridge over Pasig River.
While the Philippines won over the West Philippine Sea issue, straining the China-PH relations, Duterte has chosen to develop a more vibrant economic relationship with the superpower instead of antagonizing it.
In reaction to Duterte’s joke, Twitter user @AltTeamAFP tweeted that such a joke was an “insult to every Filipino soldier,” with emphasis on the soldiers protecting the Philippines.
Mr Duterte’s “China wants the Philippines to be its province” joke is a big insult to every Filipino soldier. TO EVERY FILIPINO SOLDIER.
— Alt Team AFP (@AltTeamAFP) March 24, 2017
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@MavicMBautista23 tweeted that the President has shown a pattern of making jokes to “test waters,” further accusing him of being a traitor.
Duterte joked about the Philippines becoming a province of China! You know his jokes are kinda testing waters! Beware of a traitor lurking!😏
— Marivic M. Bautista (@MavicMBautis23) March 24, 2017
@MrFrankBaraan made an even more serious assessment of the impact of the joke, saying that it is “bordering on treason.”
#Duterte joking about PH, a sovereign state, becoming a province of China, is not only a joke done in poor taste–it’s bordering on treason.
— Francis B. Baraan (@MrFrankBaraan) March 25, 2017
Another netizen, @betseyklark, hit Duterte for making the joke in “bad taste,” especially after he was accused by some for not fighting for the Philippines’s sovereignty.
BAD TASTE. NOT a good joke at all, especially coming from a person who doesn’t fight for his country’s sovereignty.https://t.co/6HscbEssv9
— Marybeth (@betseyklark) March 24, 2017
And if it does happen, @ArrelPoblete already has his greetings and official titles straightened for Philippines as the “South Western Province of China” and for “Provincial Governor Duterte.”
BAD TASTE. NOT a good joke at all, especially coming from a person who doesn’t fight for his country’s sovereignty.https://t.co/6HscbEssv9
— Marybeth (@betseyklark) March 24, 2017
Based on the topmost tweets involving Duterte and “province of China,” it seemed like the issue went way back to 2016, as these old tweets would prove.
One @altheooo hoped that Duterte would move to China, along with his government and his DDS supporters.
may chance bang matuwa masyado si duterte sa china & he just stays there, brings his govt, his DDS, etc, and they populate one big province?
— ✞ h e o (@altheooo) October 20, 2016
@Hoelder1811 also commented on how the President may have preferred China over the US and may want to turn the Philippines into one of China’s provinces.
I guess Duterte wants to make the Philippines to a province of China. https://t.co/I8d6VkNDtG
— Claus Koenig (@Hoelder1811) October 4, 2016
If the conversion does happen, @AMdelLuzuriaga wondered if China would not rename the Philippines.
Once Duterte succeeds in making PH a "province" of China, will the Chinese call PH by another name? https://t.co/8vYA7NQXGy
— Alan (@AMdeLuzuriaga) September 17, 2016
And a grim prediction from @IlegalEnglish also caught our attention – the Philippines could become China’s province in 2020!
Once Duterte succeeds in making PH a “province” of China, will the Chinese call PH by another name? https://t.co/8vYA7NQXGy
— Alan (@AMdeLuzuriaga) September 17, 2016
How about you? How do you take the President’s joke about China wanting to make the Philippines one of its provinces?
Source: ( abs-cbn.com )
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