Former president Rodrigo Duterte (left), ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro (MANILA BULLETIN, PPAB)

Makabayan bloc member ACT Teachers Party-list. France Castro has reiterated the need to summon former president Rodrigo Duterte in the House inquiry on the alleged 'gentleman's agreement' between the latter and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) 

Castro gave this manifestation during the first day of the investigation Monday, May 20 by  the Committee on National Defense and the Special Committee on the WPS. 

"Reiterate ko lang yung aking (I will just reiterate my)...I will put that in motion Mr. Chair. We should invite yun talagang nakipag-secret agreement (the one who took part in the agreement), most importantly, former president [Rodrigo] Duterte," she said. 

"Siya yung nagsalita nito eh, na nagsabi (He's the one who spoke about this)," noted the militant congresswoman. 

"Yung dalawa naman, yung dalawang spokesperson dahil conflicting yung kanilang ano, hindi natin sila kailangan (As for the two spokesperson, we don't need to invite them since they have conflicting statements)," Castro said, referring to lawyers Harry Roque and Salvador Panelo. 

The two served as presidential spokespersons during Duterte's Palace tenure.

"Ang kailangan natin dito si president Duterte na humarap at tsaka yung representative ng Chinese Embassy na maalam sa agreement (The people we need to summon here is president Duterte and a Chinese Embassy representative who is privy to the agreement)," she said. 

Castro says the Philippines is suffering the consequences of this alleged secret pact. 

"Dahil yung mga harassment sa [WPS] ito na yung binunga. Lalong lumalala yung ginagawang harassment ng Chinese government doon sa WPS. Nararapat lang po na malinawan na natin ito." 

(The fruits of this are the harassment in the [WPS]. The Chinese government's harassment in the WPS is getting worse. It's only right to give clarity to this. 

Meanwhile, Zambales 1st district Rep. Jay Khonghun, one of the filers of the resolutions that triggered the inquiry, chided the officials of the previous Duterte administration for seemingly avoiding the House probe. 

"Nagawa po ng ating kumite lahat po ng pag-iimbita sa mga taong dapat na makausap at magpunta ngayong araw na ito sa ating kumite. Ngunit nakakaramdam po ang inyong lingkod no parang umiiwas yung ating mga opisyales ng nakaraang administrasyon dahil halos walang nagpunta sa kanila at lahat sa kanila ay may mga excuses Mr. Chair," he said. 

(The committee did everything to invite the people who need to talk to here in the hearing. But I'm feeling that our officials from the previous administration are somewhat avoiding this since none of them came here and all had excuses.) 

"Nagtataka ako kung ano yung dapat na kanilang iwasan (I wonder what they're trying to avoid)," said Khonghun. 
 

The joint panel suspended the hearing Monday afternoon without acting on Castro's motion to summon Duterte. Duterte was the chief executive from 2016 to 2022. 

Before the suspension, Antipolo City 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop moved for the joint panel to issue a show cause for the invited resource persons who skipped Monday's hearing "and provided no valid excuse". 

Acop said he made the motion "in the spirit of consistency in following our protocols". It was granted by the joint panel.