SESSION RESUMES Speaker Martin Romualdez addresses members of the House of Representatives during the resumption of session in Batasan, Quezon City on Monday (April 29, 2024). Romualdez said the House of Representatives would prioritize the improvement of the country’s national defense and security and economic development. HOR PHOTO
The House of Representatives will push through with its investigation into the alleged “gentleman’s agreement” in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) amid growing concerns about its impact on the country’s sovereignty.
In the exercise of its oversight powers, the appropriate committee will conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, to determine the adverse impact of such agreement on national interests,
Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said in his speech at the resumption of session.
He said the House leadership supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in denouncing the alleged secret “gentleman’s agreement” between former president Rodrigo R. Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping concerning WPS.
In a press briefing in Davao City on April 11, Duterte denied such an agreement exists.
He said the only thing he remembered when he spoke with Xi was a status quo that armed patrols will not be seen moving in the WPS territories to avoid tension.
Romualdez said the so-called “gentleman’s agreement” on the non-supply of the BRP Sierra Madre grounded in Ayungin Shoal was “tantamount to the surrender of our country’s sovereign rights” over the country’s exclusive economic zone.”
“We believe that, in the end, upholding our territorial integrity and sovereignty in accordance with our Constitution and with international law is what matters the most,” Romualdez said.
In relation to this, Romualdez said the House would prioritize the improvement of national defense and security and economic development.
“We recognize that peace is the cornerstone of prosperity. Hence, we need to enact laws that fortify our national defense and enhance our international security posture,” he said.
“These initiatives are critical in maintaining sovereignty and stability, enabling our nation to pursue development goals without the shadow of external threat.”
Romualdez said that by strengthening peace and security, Congress can create an environment conducive to economic and development activities.
“These, in turn, contribute to further stabilizing our nation by reducing poverty, creating jobs, and improving living standards, which in turn diminishes the likelihood of social unrest,” he said.
He also highlighted the results of the successful trilateral summit among US President Joe Biden, President Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington, D.C. on April 11.
He said it signified a strong and united commitment of the three nations to uphold the principles of international law and ensure the freedom of navigation and overflight in the Indo-Pacific region.
“In the volatile, uncertain, and complex environment of today, we must opt for collaborative efforts to address our common problems more swiftly and effectively,” Romualdez said. PNA
China’s ‘new model’
Meanwhile, China’s so-called “new model” of conduct around Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) is “nothing more than a new invention,” the National Security Council (NSC) said Monday.
In a seminar conducted by the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) for the media, National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año maintained that there is “no agreement whatsoever” in Ayungin Shoal between the Philippines and China.
“Now, this ‘new model’ announced by the Chinese Embassy is nothing more than a new invention. As the President has clearly stated, there is no agreement whatsoever about Ayungin Shoal and that we shall continue to do all activities within the bounds of international law and we shall brook no interference in our lawful actions,” Año said.
The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines previously said “a new model for management of the Ren’ai Jiao (Ayungin Shoal) situation was also agreed upon by both sides early this year after rounds of serious communications with the Philippine military.”
Ayungin Shoal, some 115 nautical miles away from mainland Palawan, has been the latest flashpoint of China’s aggression in the WPS where its coast guard and maritime militia have been engaging in dangerous attacks and maneuvers, including the use of water cannon, against Philippine vessels.
The two countries have been locked in a longstanding territorial row amid China’s expansion in the South China Sea, which it claims along with maritime features that are well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone like Ayungin Shoal.
China’s claim, anchored on the nine-dash line which is now a 10-dash-line, has already been rejected by the 2016 arbitral ruling, which it vehemently disregards.
China’s misinformation
The NTF-WPS, which Año chairs, has been conducting seminars for members of the media as part of its aggressive communications strategy to combat fake news and misinformation that muddled the issue on China's continued bullying in the WPS.
Año said “corrosive narratives” being parroted by “local apologists, propagandists, trolls, and fearmongers who are promoting a ‘defeatist’ attitude, are making the issue on WPS worse.”
Acknowledging the power of the media to influence public opinion, Año then urged journalists not to fall into a trap which “clearly seeks to sow division in our country and weaken our resolve in asserting our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the WPS," and join the government in upholding the Philippines rights in the disputed territory through factual reporting.
Among the “twisted and baseless narratives” that Filipinos must be aware of, according to Año, is the alleged “gentleman’s agreement” of China and the Philippines during the previous administration.
“These are clearly black propaganda used to create distractions, divisions, and conflict among our people,” Año said.
“It serves no purpose and has no bearing because President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been very clear: ‘This administration is not aware of any secret or gentleman’s agreement and if there was such done under a previous administration, the same has been rescinded’,” he added, quoting President Marcos’ statement on the issue. PNA
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