PINAANDAR na ng House Committee on National Defense and Security at Special Committee on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) ang pagdinig nitong Lunes, Mayo 20, sa umano’y gentleman’s agreement sa pagitan ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte at ng China sa Ayungin Shoal.
Ngunit hindi sumipot ang mga inimbitahang matataas na opisyal ng Duterte administration.
Kabilang dito ay sina dating Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, dating National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, at dating Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea na nagpadala lamang ng kinatawan.
DFA, AFP, DND atbp ahensiya ng gobyerno nanindigang walang alam sa umano’y gentleman’s agreement
Kabilang sa mga ahensiya na lumahok sa pagdinig ay ang Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of National Defense, National Security Council, Philippine Coast Guard, Armed Forces of the Philippines at Department of Justice.
Nanindigan naman ang mga kinatawan ng mga nasabing ahensiya na wala silang alam na anumang dokumentong magpapatunay sa kontrobersiyal na gentleman’s agreement.
“The Department of Justice is not privy to this agreement. Has not seen the contents of this agreement. Does not know the contents of this agreement. And in any case this agreement has been rescinded already by the president himself last August 9, 2023. And this agreement if it indeed it is illegal because we have not seen its contents, does not in any way bind the Philippines,” pahayag ni Atty. Fretti Ganchoon, DOJ State Counsel.
Samantala, sa tanong kung legal o ilegal ba ang gentleman’s agreement sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at China, ito naman ang naging paliwanag ng kinatawan ng DOJ.
“Mr. Chair, it took note of what you said before on the definition of a gentleman’s agreement. Because a gentleman’s agreement can exist in international law. It’s called an oral treaty. It is usually in the form of an oral treaty,” saad ni Atty. Fretti Ganchoon, DOJ State Counsel.
“It can be allowed under international law because oral treaties are allowed in international law but whether it is legal will depend on its contents,” ani Ganchoon.
Pagdinig hinggil sa umano’y gentleman’s agreement, magdudulot ng dibisyon—PCG
Kasabay ng pagdinig ay umapela ang kasalukuyang commandant ng PCG na tapusin na sa lalong madaling panahon ang naturang imbestigayson dahil magdudulot aniya ito ng dibisyon sa sambayanang Pilipino.
“This is an appeal to the Congress as the representative of the people. The Coast Guard can do so much. And we will largely depend on the support of the people. And we cannot move forward the best we can if we have a divided people. We appeal that this hearing be concluded as soon as possible time as this has the potential to divide our people. And this has the potential to confuse us on the ground,” wika ni Admiral Ronnie Gil Latorilla Gavan, Commandant, Philippine Coast Guard.
Matatandaang noong Abril 11, itinanggi ni dating Pangulong Duterte ang nasabing kasunduan sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at China sa WPS sa kaniyang termino.
Ang tanging naalala niya lang aniya nang magkausap sila ni Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping, ay mapanatili ang umano’y ‘status quo’ sa WPS, kung saan kabilang dito ang hindi pagdadala ng mga materyales para sa konstruksiyon ng BRP Sierra Madre na nasa Ayungin Shoal.
Samantala, nakatakdang ipagpapatuloy ng Kamara ang nasabing pagdinig sa Martes, Mayo 21.
