Senator Risa Hontiveros advised former president Rodrigo Duterte to stop protecting his "best friend" China, and went as far to say that the Philippines never benefited from it.

"Huwag niya nang ipagtanggol ang best friend niya. Walang napala ang Pilipinas (Stop protecting China. The Philippines got nothing out of it)," she said.

Hontiveros made the remark after Duterte said that there was no such thing as a “gentleman’s agreement" with China.

"Duterte and his men all have conflicting claims. Ang gulo nilang lahat, parang gobyerno niya noong pinuno siya (They're all disorganized, just like the government during his time)," she said.

"Their contradictory statements all the more require that the Senate resolution I filed be heard at the soonest possible time," she added.

Hontiveros has filed a resolution asking the Senate to look into the supposed “gentleman’s agreement” between the Duterte administration and the Chinese government which restricted the repair and rehabilitation of the BRP Sierra Madre on Ayungin Shoal.

In filing Senate Resolution (SR) No. 982, Hontiveros said there is a necessity to check if the agreement is true as such action would be tantamount to treason.

Meanwhile, Hontiveros also urged Duterte to stop claiming that the situation in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) was better during his time.

"It was during his administration that China passed the disastrous fishing ban against Filipino fisherfolk. It was during his time that Chinese Navy vessels armed with missiles chased and harassed Filipino journalists. It was his presidency that made the Philippines look like a Chinese puppet in the eyes of the international community," she said.

"Mas marami pang mga insidente ng pananakot at pambabanta na hindi pa isinapubliko noon. Pero ngayon, kitang-kita ang kahangalan ng Tsina (There were more incidents of threats that were not made public before. But now, we can clearly see China's aggression)," she added.

Recently, former Palace spokesman Harry Roque confirmed that Duterte had entered into an "gentleman's agreement" with China to no longer send additional construction materials in the waters still contested by Beijing to prevent tension from further escalating.

China had justified its harassment of Filipino resupply boats--including its use of water cannons on them--by saying that the Philippines did not stand by its promise of towing away Sierra Madre and not sending any more construction materials.

Former Supreme Court (SC) Justice Antonio Carpio said Duterte surrendered the Philippines’ sovereign rights over Ayungin Shoal disguised as a “gentleman’s agreement”.