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RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div></div>MANILA (UPDATED) — The Senate, through its Committee on Foreign Relations, will investigate the so-called gentleman&#x27;s agreement between the Duterte administration and China that supposedly was meant to maintain a status quo in the West Philippine Sea. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri announced this as he denied media reports that he is delaying the investigation that could possibly involve former President Rodrigo Duterte. &quot;I already spoke as well to the Majority Floor Leader and we both agree that after your speech we shall now refer to the proper committee  I will wait for the Majority Leader to make the proper motion to discuss this particular issue.&quot;  Zubiri said. &quot;There is no in any way no such thing or any such thing as we were going to delay this particular hearing. Zubiri said. Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva subsequently referred the matter, to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Chaired by Senator Imee Marcos, adding that he believes it is China&#x27;s game plan to divide Filipinos with all these talks about an agreement. &quot;This representation believes that in all of these, China is behind all of these propaganda  na pag away-awayin po tayong lahat.&quot; Zubiri denied rejecting an investigation on account of politics, clarifying that he only rejects that it has been given a political color when this should be considered an issue of sovereignty. &quot;Ang sinasabi ko lang, nanghihinayang po ako dahil  nawawala po yung issue dahil sa pamumulitika laban sa isang dating presidente at laban ngayon sa existing or current president. We shall take out that politicial color look at the issues at hand and how we can strengthen number 1, the independence of this institution #2 be able to come out with particular legislation to support the partiocular issues na di po to mangyari ulit.&quot; Zubiri said. (I maintain, what is regretful is that the issue of sovereignty is lost in the politics between the former and incumbent President.) Zubiri called out critics who allegedly give the issue a partisan color as he urged unity in defending sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. &quot;Nanghihinayang po ako dahil kung tayo ay bumanat po sa China sinasabi daw nila ay tayo ay anti-Duterte pag tayo naman ay sumasang-ayon sa China, tayo daw ay pro-Duterte we shouldn&#x27;t put politics in this particular issue, dahil soberaniya  po ang pinaguusapan natin. We are talking about sovereignty. Dapat magkaisa tayong mga Pilipino pagdatings a soberaniya ng West Philippine Sea Yan sana ang gusto nating iparating. Kasi ang sabi ko nga, pag kayo, kung tayo ay sumuporta sa ganitong hearing tayo ay anti-Duterte no, we support the hearing  because we support the sovereignty of our republic. It has nothing to do if you are  anti-Duterte or pro-Duterte.&quot;  (It is regretful that when we criticized China we are branded anti-Duterte, but if we agree with China we are called pro-Duterte. We should unite in asserung the sovereignty. Zubiri upheld the Senate&#x27;s committee system and vowed his support. Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III backed the investigation as he supported Zubiri in stressing no investigation has been delayed. &quot;For the record wala pong di po yun dinelay at wala  pong charge or kritisismo na dinedelay  galing sa mga kasama mo sa Senado&quot; Pimentel said. (Nothing has been delayed  and no one in the Senate has made any accusation against you.) An all of the former President, Senator Ronald dela Rosa maintained that despite his alliance with the former chief executive, he is anti-China. &quot;I just would like to further debunk the wrong notion that you have just earlier cited that is being propagated by some quarters. For the record, I am pro-Duterte but I am anti-China as far as Chinese bullying in the West Philippine Sea.&quot; Dela Rosa said, &quot;I am good friend of the president, former President Duterte, in fact I cannot become a senator without his help I am indebted to him ...when it comes to Chinese bullying in the West Philippine Sea I am, my heart and soul is anti-China.&quot; Villanueva joined his colleagues in condemning China&#x27;s actions. &quot;We will be categorical about this, we condemn in the strongest sense, the water canon attacks deployed by the China Coast Guard against our Philippine vessels in the Scarborough Shoal including the recent actions&quot; Villanueva said. Senator Imee Marcos, another Duterte ally, chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. <div>HONTIVEROS RESOLUTION</div>Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution calling for the investigation and sought accountability for those behind the agreement.&quot;At higit pa dito, ang mas lalong hindi ko maintindihan: Yung mga nakikipagkasundo sa Beijing bakit di nananagot? Bakit walang parusa para sa kanila? Pati ba yan babalewalain?&quot; Hontiveros said in a privileged speech. (I cannot understand why those behind the agreement with Beijing has not ben held accountable? Why is there no punishment? Are we going to disregard those?) &quot;If true, these were also agreements that were kept secret... and hidden away from the Filipino people.&quot; Hontiveros said, &quot;These are serious because the first “Gentleman’s Agreement” effectively diminishes our sovereignty by conceding a “no-go” zone for Philippine ships and aircraft inside our own EEZ, as well as the unlawful occupation of Panatag Shoal by a foreign power.&quot; &quot;The second risks our tenuous toehold in Ayungin. If we do not repair and reinforce the BRP Sierra Madre, it will fall to wind and wave, and  with it our control of Reed Bank – which may hold as much as 5.4 billion barrels of oil and 55.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.&quot; Hontiveros said.  Hontiveros explained that accountability is important because the agreement will have implications moving forward.  &quot;Can a past President surrender our right to fortify installations within these domains? These are questions that the legislature needs to understand and wrestle with.&quot; &quot;Let us get to the heart of what the Chinese government claims is a &#x27;gentleman’s agreement,&#x27; and get to the truth by exposing the lies,&quot; Hontiveros added. Hontiveros also cited claims that China has reached another agreement with Philippine government agencies – namely the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Department of National Defense, and the National Security Council – on a supposed “new model” of engagement over the entire South China Sea. &quot;NSC Assistant Director Jonathan Malaya has quashed this statement, stressing that this is yet another &#x27;invention&#x27; of the People’s Republic of China. In this information warfare that China wields to her advantage, it becomes even more crucial that we get to the truth. If something has been concealed from the Filipino people, let us bring it to light. If the Chinese government is lying through its teeth, let us expose those lies.&quot; Hontiveros slammed the recent incident, saying that it is just the latest proof that China is using force to advance its interests. &quot;Just last month, China’s Coast Guard, again through their potentially lethal water cannons, injured four of our Philippine Navy crew, who were simply conducting their routine resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre on Ayungin Shoal. &quot; Hontiveros added, &quot;Mr. President, dear colleagues, the series of attacks only shows that the Chinese government appears committed to achieving through the unlawful use of force, what it cannot achieve by international law.&quot; Hontiveros maintained it is the Chinese government using unlawful force to deliberately damage Philippine ships. &quot;It is the Chinese government conducting dangerous maneuvers and ramming our vessels. It is the Chinese government destroying fragile coral reef ecosystems through the actions of its maritime militia and the construction of artificial islands in the South Chinese Sea.&quot; At the same time, she also flagged the Chinese research vessels for sneaking into Philippines waters with their Automatic Identification Systems turned off, like thieves in the night. &quot;It is Chinese vessels intruding into maritime exercises between our country’s Navy and those of our allies, in violation of a clear Notice to Mariners or NOTAM.There must be an end to all of this. There must be an end to and a reversal of the Chinese militarization of the entire South China Sea that is inflaming the arms race in the region, threatening security and peace on our side of the world.&quot; Hontiveros wants the South China Sea has to be de-militarized, and all bases on artificial islands, dismantled. &quot;There must be an end to all the duplicity, the hypocrisy, the treachery.&quot; Hontiveros stressed.<div></div><div> </div>

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros presses the Senate to investigate the so-called “gentleman's agreement” between China and the Duterte Administration on the West Philippine Sea.

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros presses the Senate to investigate the so-called “gentleman's agreement” between China and the Duterte Administration on the West Philippine Sea.

Senate to probe Duterte agreement with China

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Senate to probe Duterte agreement with China

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 06, 2024 06:38 PM PHT

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Updated May 06, 2024 07:15 PM PHT

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Senate

Risa Hontiveros

West Philippine Sea

China

gentleman's agreement

Rodrigo Duterte

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