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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Did PNoy admin exec strike West Philippine Sea pact with China? House joint panel wants to know 

Did PNoy admin exec strike West Philippine Sea pact with China? House joint panel wants to know 

Published May 21, 2024 08:12 am

At A Glance

  • Voltaire Gazmin, the defense secretary of the late former president Benigno S. Aquino III, has been invited to attend the next hearing of joint House panel inquiry of the alleged "gentleman's agreement" in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). 

20240401_182220(1).jpgHouse of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Voltaire Gazmin, the defense secretary of the late former president Benigno S. Aquino III, has been invited to attend the next hearing of joint House panel inquiry of the alleged "gentleman’s agreement" in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Carrying out the second day of the probe on Tuesday, 21 were Committee on National Defense and the Special Committee on the West Philippine Sea.

The panels are chaired by Iloilo 5th district Rep. Raul Tupas and Mandaluyong City lone district Rep. Neptali "Boyet" Gonzales II, respectively.

Deputy Minority Leader ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro moved to have former Department of National Defense (DND) chief Gazmin invited to the next hearing in order to shed light on the claim that the Duterte administration merely preserved an earlier agreement between the latter and Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing.

Aquino was the direct predecessor of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

The agreement, struck in 2013 during the Aquino administration, reportedly reportedly indicated that the Philippines can only send food and water to the Filipino troops on BRP Sierra Madre. Sierra Madre is the dilapidated vessel that serves as the country's outpost at Ayungin Shoal in the WPS.

"Kanina nasabi po na nasabi ni General [Delfin] Lorenzana na narinig niya or sinabi sa kaniya ni General Gazmin na pagdedeliver ng food and water ang dapat na gawin doon sa Sierra Madre. Tama po ba ito?...Bawal mag-repair?" Castro asked Duterte's former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea, during the hearing.

(Earlier, you said General Delfin Lorenzana heard or was told by General Gazmin that only food and water can be sent to Sierra Madre, correct?...how about repairs?)

"Food and water, walang sinasabi po sa repair (Only food and water, nothing was mentioned about repairs)," Medialdea replied.

This led to the maintenance of the "status quo" in Ayungin and the lack of repairs on Sierra Madre until 2021, when the soldiers' barracks were fixed up. Living on the vessel are 14 uniformed personnel and one officer.

The barracks repair marked the first time that the China Coast Guard (CCG) attacked the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) with water cannons, Lorenzana told the joint panel.

ABANG LINGKOD Party-list Rep. Joseph Paduano backed the move to invite Gazmin to the next hearing.

"Since the name of Secretary Gazmin was mentioned by the former ES, personally we should invite him. Ang lumalabas kasi ngayon dito (What has come up here is), it’s the previous administration during the time of President Aquino that this so-called agreement was made," he said.

Tupas carried the motion before the hearing was turned into a closed-door executive session.

Related Tags

Benigno S. Aquino III Gentleman's agreement salvador medialdea Rodrigo Duterte West Philippine Sea Voltaire Gazmin
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