SANGLEY POINT, Cavite, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday dismissed the sinking of a Philippine fishing boat in the South China Sea after being hit by a Chinese trawler as a “little maritime accident” and said he would not go to war with China over the incident.

Breaking his silence a week after the incident, the President said the collision was the result of “miscommunication.”

“What happened in the collision is a maritime incident. Do not believe the dumb politicians who want to send the Philippine Navy. You do not send gray ships there. That is only a collision of ships,” the President said in a speech during the Philippine Navy’s 121st anniversary celebration in Sangley Point.

Wait for results of probe

“Maritime incident is a maritime incident. It is best investigated. And I do not now issue statement because there is no investigation and there is no result. Then the only thing we can do is wait and give the other party the right to be heard. That is important,” the President said.

The Philippine fishing boat Gem-Vir 1 was anchored near Recto Bank — internationally known as Reed Bank — when it was hit by the Chinese trawler around midnight on June 9.

Duterte: Sinking of PH fishing boat ‘a little maritime accident’