By MB Online  "The West Philippine Sea is ours" -- this was President Duterte's declaration as he discussed his position on the contested islands and marine territories in his fourth State of the Nation Address Monday. President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) at Batasan on Monday. (Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN) Duterte assured Filipinos that "national honor and territorial integrity" is foremost in his mind. "When we take next steps in this mongering controversy over the lines of arbitral ruling, the West Philippine Sea is ours, there is no ifs or buts, it is ours but we have been acting along that legal truth and line but we have to temper it with the times and realities that we face today," Duterte said. The President, in the same speech, said that he is compelled to perform a "delicate, balancing act" with China to avoid armed conflict and be able to protect the Philippines' territorial waters and natural resources. Duterte added that he is not "ready or inclined" to wage war with China, and would rather attack the issue in West Philippine Sea in a "peaceful way". "A war leaves widows and orphans on its way. I am not ready or inclined to accept the occurrence of more destruction, more widows, and more orphans, should war, even on a limited scale, breaks out," he said. "More and better resource can be reached in the privacy of a conference room than in the squabble in the public. That is why I will do, in the peaceful way, mindful of the fact that it is our national pride and territorial integrity that is at stake," he added. The President said that the government, "in due time", will stop those fishing in the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Duterte also discussed his bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping. "In that meeting, I said, I want to go to my territory to dig oil because that is ours, ang sabi ni President Xi: 'Well you know there's a conflict there.' rather than go there and have a confrontation, not necessarily the warships, but squabble there could lead to something else', so we just became friends," Duterte said. Duterte also discussed about the "sinking accident" involving the F/B Gem-Ver fishermen in the West Philippine Sea. "They wanted to talk, tapos ayaw dito, and so, so sige we will investigate and you investigate, when we are ready, we should meet and compare notes, and let us determine who pays for what damage." Duterte said he cannot send the marines to drive the Chinese fishermen away in the West Philippine Sea because they will not be able to come home alive. "There are already guided missiles in that island, and the fastest that they have installed there can reach Manila in seven minutes," he said.  Asserting rights While asserting the country's rights in the disputed waters, Duterte reiterated that he cannot risk a war against China since it will leave widows and orphans in the process. "The avoidance of armed conflict and protection of our territorial waters and natural resources compel us to perform a delicate balancing act," he said. "A shooting war is grief and misery multiplier. War leaves widows and orphans in its way. I am not ready or inclined to accept occurrence of more destruction, more widows, and more orphans should war, even on a limited scale, breaks out," he added. Duterte reiterated how he told Chinese President Xi Jinping about digging oil in the West Philippine Sea. However, the Chinese leader warned that there may be trouble if the Philippines would push through with his plan. According to the President, the Philippines and China can settle the issue more effectively through diplomatic negotiations. "If the word 'trouble' comes from the mouth of a president of a republic, ano'ng magawa ko (what can I do)?" he asked.