By Genalyn Kabiling If he had his way, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said he would deploy pro-American critics of President Duterte to the frontline of the battle with China over a territorial dispute. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque (MANILA BULLETIN) Making a sarcastic comment in a recent television interview, Roque said the country would likely live in peace and happiness without these people politicizing the issue and pressuring the President to pick a fight with China. "Alam mo ang gusto ko? Kunin silang lahat, isama sila sa isang barko. Lusubin nila, sige! Maubos na kayong lahat! Napakasaya niyan, mawala na kayong lahat nang matahimik na ang bayan ," Roque told evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva during his television program. "Iyong talagang ginagawang pulitika, sige kayo na lumusob ng tuluyang na kayong mawala ," he added Roque said the President's critics should realize that the United States would not meddle in the dispute in the South China Sea. He noted that even US President Donald Trump is focused on growing the US economy, not on fighting for Filipinos over the disputed islands. "Alam ninyo naman si President Trump, salesman iyan. Nag-ingay lang iyan para mas malaki ang sales niya. Anong pakialam niya sa mga bato-bato diyan? Hindi iyan para makipaglaban para sa Pilipino ," he said. "Kaya kayong mga maka-Amerikano, magising na kayo sa katotohanan! Iiwan kayo… iniwan na tayo niyan. Paulit-ulit na tayong iniwan niyan! Ilang beses na nilang sinabi, 'We will not get involved in territorial disputes.' Tapos gusto ninyo makipag-away? ," he said. For now, Roque said the President prefers to focus on the pursuit of areas of cooperation with China, such as trade and investments, rather than wage war over the disputed islands. He made clear that that this does not mean the President was giving up the territorial claims over the West Philippine Sea. He said the government has temporarily set aside contentious issue about the territorial row which he claimed would not be resolved overnight. "Hindi po lumiliit ang pagmamahal ng Presidente sa ating inang bayan. At hindi po niya nakakalimutan ang pangako niya na mamamatay muna siya bago niya i-surrender ang ating teritoryo sa dayuhan ," he said. "Magtiwala po tayo sa Presidenteng binigyan ninyo na napakalaking mandato ," he added. Some groups have called on President Duterte to take aggressive steps to assert the country's ownership of the West Philippine Sea in the wake of China's reported reclamation works and growing militarization. The President earlier said the country could not afford a war with China due to concerns of great loss on the part of the country. Duterte instead opted to pursue joint oil exploration with China in the disputed sea amid improved bilateral ties.