Pangulong Marcos walang internal agreement sa China sa Ayungin Shoal - DND

MANILA, Philippines — Walang anumang ‘internal agreement’ na pinasok ang administrasyon ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa China sa isyu ng Ayungin Shoal sa West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Ito ang nilinaw ni Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. upang mapawi ang mga agam-agam sa nasabing isyu.

“The Department of National Defense is not aware of, nor is it a party to, any internal agreement with China on Ayungin Shoal since President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. took office”, pahayag ni Teodoro na naghihinalang bahagi ito ng panlalansi ng China.

Ginawa ni Teodoro ang pahayag sa gitna na rin ng paglutang ng nasabing isyu na bahagi ng propaganda.

“This is all a part of the Chinese propaganda effort to steer the Filipino people’s attention away from the real issue and cause of the tensions in the West Philippine Sea, which is China’s obstinate refusal to adhere to UNCLOS, which they are a signatory to,” ayon sa Defense Chief.

Kamakailan lamang ay nagdeploy ang China ng 124 mga barko at militias vessel sa WPS bago pa man simulan ang Multilateral Maritime Exercise.

Una nang sumingaw ang umano’y ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ sa pagitan ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at ng China na nahuli mismo sa bibig ni dating Presidential Spokesman Hary Roque sa Ayungin Shoal kung saan nakahimpil ang nabalahurang BRP Sierra Madre na kanlungan ng mga sundalong nagtatanod sa WPS.

“As a matter of fact, the Department of National Defense has not had any contact with any Chinese government officials since last year.The narrative that unnamed or unidentified Chinese officials are propagating is another crude attempt to advance a falsehood,” anang Defense Chief.

“We will never enter into any agreement that will compromise our sovereignty and sovereign rights under the UNCLOS, as affirmed by the 2016 Arbitral Ruling,” paglilinaw pa ni Teodoro.