Umano’y ‘gentleman’s agreement’ sa pagitan ng dating administrasyon at China, tinalakay sa Kamara; Ilang dating kalihim, pinagpapaliwanag
Umano’y ‘gentleman’s agreement’ sa pagitan ng dating administrasyon at China, tinalakay sa Kamara; Ilang dating kalihim, pinagpapaliwanag
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00:00 A joint panel of the Chamber is now explaining why some members of the Cabinet of the former President Rodrigo Duterte
00:06 did not attend the hearing on the issue of the Sumanoy Gentlemen's Agreement between China and the former administration.
00:14 We are now waiting to see if the former secretaries will attend the hearing today.
00:19 Mela Lesmora reports in Detail.
00:24 Congressmen were dismayed by the absence of some members of the Cabinet of the former President Rodrigo Duterte
00:32 in the joint hearing of the House Committee on National Defense and Security and the Special Committee on the West Philippine Sea.
00:38 Their agenda is about the Sumanoy Gentlemen's Agreement between the former administration and China,
00:45 so it is important to have their presence.
00:48 I feel that your service is avoiding the officials of the former administration
00:57 because almost no one went to them and all of them have excuses, Mr. Chair.
01:02 So I wonder what should they avoid because they are the ones who know if there is really a gentleman's agreement,
01:16 and secondly, what is inside this.
01:19 At this juncture, the Chair would like to direct our ComSec to re-invite the former key officials
01:28 under the security sector of the previous administration, namely, for the next committee hearing,
01:35 namely, former Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and former Secretary Hermoinez Esperon.
01:45 As well as for the former Executive Secretary Miguel Diaz.
01:52 Some lawmakers were given the mandate to discuss whether the agreement is true or not
01:57 and what is inside it because our sovereignty and national security are at stake here,
02:03 especially regarding the West Philippine Sea.
02:05 However, when asked by the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Department of National Defense,
02:11 Philippine Coast Guard, Armed Forces of the Philippines and National Security Council,
02:16 they both said that they have no information about this.
02:20 For the DFA, sir, what we enter into are written obligations, written agreements with other countries.
02:28 We have this discussed. We legal scrubbed everything.
02:36 There oftentimes needs to be an interagency meeting before any agreement is entered into.
02:42 As you define gentlemen's agreement, in my 30 years of service, I have not encountered any.
02:48 Some lawmakers were given the mandate to discuss whether the agreement is true or not.
02:52 It is likely that only the top officials know about this.
02:56 That's why before the hearing ends, the Joint Panel approved the motion for the issuance of a show-cause order
03:02 against the former secretaries of the Duterte administration.
03:06 Among their defendants were former Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana
03:10 and former National Security Advisor Hermogenes Esperon
03:14 because they did not give their opinion on the committee.
03:16 While former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea did not come,
03:21 he explained and sent his statement.
03:24 To date, the Joint Panel has not yet decided whether the former President Duterte should be called.
03:30 In a press conference, a congressman was accused of being responsible for the controversial agreements.
03:39 The people behind this so-called gentlemen's agreement, we should hold all of them accountable.
03:46 We should put them to jail for me.
03:48 It is very important that we put them in jail.
03:50 Other lawmakers also admitted in the statement of China Kamakailan
03:54 that they will arrest the trespassers in their own territory that is owned by the Philippines.
04:01 It is very saddening because this is raising tensions in the area.
04:07 It is funny because if someone is the first to rebel, they should arrest themselves because they are rebelling in our territory.
04:15 The next few days, the camera was expected to continue the hearing on the issues in the West Philippine Sea.
04:22 Melalas Moras for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.