DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 12 April) – Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte denied claims he entered into a “gentleman’s agreement” with Chinese President Xi Jinping that surrendered the country’s rights to portions of the West Philippine Sea to the People’s Republic of China.
In a press conference on Thursday evening, Duterte said that in a meeting with Xi and key officials of the Philippines and China, he only agreed to keep the “status quo” in the West Philippine Sea to avoid war and maintain peace in the region.
He said he did not concede any part of the West Philippine Sea, particularly the Ayungin Shoal, during his time as president.
“Aside from the fact of having a handshake with President Xi Jinping, there was what I remember as a status quo. That’s the word. No movement, no armed patrols there, ‘as is where is’,” he added.
The Permanent Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague, the Netherlands ruled in favor of the Philippine’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) over China’s nine-dash line claim that borders the former’s maritime territory in a decision last July 12, 2016. China has refused to honor the decision.
Duterte said he asserted the country’s claims over the EEZ and recalled telling Xi about the Philippine government’s intention to explore its seabed for oil instead of exporting fuel from other countries.
“We would insist that China Sea – not the whole of it – there is part of the South China Sea that belongs to the Philippines, and since I would want to get savings instead of importing it from an exporting country, I will dig my oil there. I would just want to let you know,” Duterte said, recalling what he supposedly told Xi.
However, Duterte said the Chinese president disagreed with him and said it would cause trouble.
“Ito ang sagot ni (This was his answer) Xi Jinping, I am afraid you cannot do that. Sabi ko, ‘why, Mr. president?’ He said, ‘please do not do it for the life of me, we are friends and we do not want to destroy that friendship,” he said, quoting Xi.
He said if the US Government is keen on protecting the Philippines from Chinese aggression amid the conflicting claims of the two countries, it should do so before war happens in the West Philippines Sea.
Many times, the Chinese Coast Guard had attempted to block Philippine vessels from sending supplies to Filipino troops stationed in Ayungin Shoal and repair materials for the grounded BRP Sierra Madre, leading to accusations and counter-accusations between the two countries.
Last month, Duterte’s former spokesperson Harry Roque said the Philippines entered into a “gentleman’s agreement” with China, which barred the country from sending repair materials to BRP Sierra Madre.
Roque said the agreement was not secret and was made public by then Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
