Speaker: House to probe 'gentleman's agreement' with China

Speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez on Monday said the House of Representatives would investigate the alleged "gentleman's agreement" former President Rodrigo Duterte had with China, saying such a deal unlawfully prevented the Philippines from repairing and resupplying the BRP Sierra Madre at the Ayungin Shoal.

“We support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s denouncement of the secret gentleman’s agreement between former President Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping," said Romualdez.

"At the same time, in the exercise of our oversight powers, we will direct the appropriate House Committee to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, to determine the adverse impact of such agreement on our national interests, particularly our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and territorial integrity." 

The Speaker added that the country’s territory, sovereignty, and sovereign rights may have been compromised by the deal, disguised as an "agreement," to maintain the peace and status quo in the [West Philippine Sea]. 

"Nakaka-disappoint. Legally, it has no force and effect, but we have to ferret out the truth para hindi na maulit," said Romualdez.

He also cited Article 56 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS, which provides that a coastal state, in this case the Philippines, had the right to build and maintain structures within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

"Ayungin Shoal is part of the country’s (EEZ) as reaffirmed by the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea arbitration case. This would clearly mean that our country has every right to protect and safeguard all features within our [EEZ] including the Ayungin Shoal,” Romualdez said.

The Speaker reasoned that the so-called gentleman’s agreement that prohibited supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre was tantamount to the surrender of the country’s sovereign rights.

"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 emphasized.

GMA News Online had sought comment from Vice President Sara Duterte, Davao City First District Representative Paolo Duterte, and former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, but they have yet to respond as of posting time. — DVM, GMA Integrated News