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BRP Sierra Madre

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<div><span dir="ltr" id="isPasted"></span></div><p>MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday belied China&#x27;s claim that top Philippine security officials had approved an agreement to calm the hostility in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>The Philippines has had a military outpost on Ayungin Shoal, the BRP Sierra Madre, since 1999 to claim its stake in the area. It regularly launches sea trips to send supplies for its troops there.</p><p>During many of the resupply missions, China&#x27;s ships intercept and conduct dangerous moves against Philippine vessels, usually with the use of water cannons. Similar missions to Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag, Scarborough Shoal) have been met with the same tactics.</p><p>The DFA in a statement said there was no &quot;cabinet-level official&quot; of the Marcos administration who had agreed &quot;to any Chinese proposal pertaining to the Ayungin Shoal.&quot;</p><p>&quot;As far as the Philippine Government is concerned, no such document, record or deal exists, as purported by the Chinese Embassy,&quot; it said.</p><p>On Saturday, an unnamed spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Manila claimed in a statement that Beijing and Manila, through the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command, allegedly agreed on the supposed new model early this year to diffuse tensions in Ayungin Shoal.</p><p>The agreement, according to the statement, was &quot;approved by all key officials in the Philippine chain of command, including the Secretary of National Defense and the National Security Advisor.&quot;</p><p>The Department of National Defense and the National Security Council have all said the supposed agreement, which China says was <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/6/nsc-says-no-need-to-probe-wescom-chief-1604" id="isPasted">made through the military&#x27;s Western Command</a>, is just a narrative to sow confusion and division among Filipinos.</p><div><strong>&#x27;ONLY MARCOS CAN OK AGREEMENTS ON WEST PHILIPPINE SEA&#x27;</strong></div><p>The DFA stressed that only President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. can approve or authorize agreements entered into by the Philippines on matters pertaining to the West Philippine Sea.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/5/-this-charade-must-stop-dnd-tells-china-on-claims-of-agreement-on-ayungin-1128" id="isPasted">READ: &#x27;This charade must stop,&#x27; DND tells China on claims of agreement on Ayungin</a></div><p>Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. also said in a statement Sunday that the alleged &quot;new model&quot; was a &quot;devious machination of China.&quot;</p><p>He said that he has barred DND officials and the Chinese Embassy since last July, when he met with Chinese Ambasador Huang Xilian.</p><p>&quot;During the said courtesy call, there was no discussion or briefing on any &#x27;gentleman&#x27;s agreement&#x27; or &#x27;new model,&#x27; which is contrary to the Chinese Embassy&#x27;s pronouncements,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/5/6/china-stresses-new-model-agreement-with-philipines-on-south-china-sea-dispute-624" id="isPasted">READ: China stresses &#x27;new model&#x27; agreement with Philipines on South China Sea dispute</a></div><p>China has also named <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/16/23/marcos-taps-locsin-as-special-envoy-to-china-for-special-concerns">special envoy Teodoro &quot;Teddy Boy&quot; Locsin</a> as being in talks in September 2023 that had &quot;resulted in an internal understanding&quot; on how to handle tension over Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.</p><div><strong>&#x27;GENTLEMAN&#x27;S AGREEMENT&#x27; WITH DUTERTE</strong></div><p>Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was among the first to claim that tension in the West Philippine Sea, the part of the South China Sea in the Philippines&#x27; exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, had increased because of the Philippines&#x27; supposed failure to honor a &quot;gentleman&#x27;s agreement&quot; between then President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/7/ph-considering-aerial-resupply-trips-to-evade-china-s-water-cannons-official-908">RELATED: PH considering aerial resupply trips to evade China&#x27;s water cannons — official</a></div><p>Talk of the secret agreement has led to more claims from China of the Philippines violating other similar deals.</p><p>Philippine policy on the West Philippine Sea has become a hot topic between factions of the ruling coalition.</p><p>Former president Duterte and his political allies have warned that the Marcos administration&#x27;s more assertive policy in the West Philippine Sea and its increased engagement with the United States could lead to war with China.</p>

<p>The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday belied China's claim that top Philippine security officials had approved an agreement to calm the hostility in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.</p>

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday belied China's claim that top Philippine security officials had approved an agreement to calm the hostility in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

DFA: 'No document, record or deal' with China on Ayungin Shoal

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DFA: 'No document, record or deal' with China on Ayungin Shoal

ABS-CBN News

Published May 07, 2024 11:41 AM PHT

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