The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will take the lead in investigating the veracity of the alleged recorded conversation between a Chinese diplomat and a Filipino military general regarding the supposed agreement on a “new model” in the conduct of resupply missions for soldiers assigned at the Ayungin Shoal, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said on Wednesday, May 8.
But if indeed there was a recorded conversation, Teodoro said would be tantamount to admitting that the Chinese Embassy in Manila has violated the Philippine laws, particularly the Anti-Wiretapping Law.
“Ito ay iiwanan namin sa Department of Foreign Affairs na alamin ang katotohanan kung ano talaga ang nangyari at kung ito talaga ay nangyari dahil ito ay gawain ‘di umano ng Chinese Embassy mismo na paglalabag sa batas ng Republika ng Pilipinas. Dapat alamin kung sino ang responsable rito at alisin sa Republika ng Pilipinas. (We will leave it to the Department of Foreign Affairs to find out the truth on what really happened, and indeed it really happened because this was allegedly done by the Chinese Embassy, which is in violation of a law of the Republic of the Philippines. Those responsible must be identified and be removed from the Republic of the Philippines),” Teodoro told reporters in an interview after a forum in Quezon City.
On Wednesday, the Manila Bulletin reported that the Chinese Embassy in Manila will release the recording of a supposed phone call between its diplomat and a Philippine military official who agreed to a "new model" in the management of the dispute in the West Philippine Sea.
The phone conversation purportedly happened in January 2024 and the recorded conversation will allegedly be released after Philippine government officials repeatedly denied the new model agreement.
Teodoro earlier denied that the Department of National Defense has agreed to the new model agreement with China.
“I would like to clearly state that any insinuation that the Department of National Defense is a party to any ‘new model’ is a devious machination of China through their Embassy in Manila… I am issuing this statement to generate awareness of this clear attempt by China to advance another falsehood in order to divide our people and distract us from their unlawful presence and actions in our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone),” said Teodoro in a statement released on Sunday, May 5.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año also denied China’s claim on the new model, saying it is part of fabricated stories, bluffs, and fake exchanges of communication just to support its illegal claim of Philippine territory.
“The Chinese Embassy's claim of a ‘new model’ or ‘common understanding’ is
absolutely absurd, ludicrous, and preposterous,” said Año in a separate statement.
Both Teodoro and Año said that only the President of the Philippines can enter into an agreement regarding the West Philippine Sea, or anything that involves international relations.
No connection
The decision to replace Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos as commander of the Western Command (WesCom) has nothing to do with the alleged agreement with China for the “new model” in the conduct of resupply mission for soldiers assigned to the Ayungin Shoal, a military official said.
Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said Carlos actually filed a leave of absence, citing personal reasons.
“He filed for leave of absence, no connection to the ‘new model’,” said Padilla.
Padilla said Carlos filed the leave of absence long before the issue of “new model” came out.
Carlos was replaced by Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres Jr., the chief of the Naval Education, Training and Doctrine Command.
Info war
Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said they will not dignify the report of the alleged existence of a recorded conversation between a Chinese diplomat and a Philippine military official.
“Anybody could say anything, these stories will be rehashed. We have to understand that today's warfare is a battle of narratives, it a battle of shape in the perception of the people,” said Trinidad.