(INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA)
MANILA, Philippines — Claims that conversations between Chinese and Philippine officials regarding the West Philippine Sea (WPS) were wiretapped may have been meant to distract the public, several members of the House of Representatives said.
In a press briefing, Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre wondered why claims of a new model agreement on the Ayungin Shoal — and Philippine officials agreeing to it supposedly being recorded without their permission — are being brought up now.
The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has maintained that an official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’s Western Command (AFP WESCOM) and Chinese authorities have already agreed on the new model, with China daring to release a recording of the conversation.
“Why are these misinformation about wiretapping coming out now?It seems like an act of desperation to muddle the entire issue,” Acidre said.
Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino Dy V and Manila 1st District Ernesto Dionisio Jr. said that these claims from China constitute a breach of trust — adding that they both agree with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. that whoever did that must be expelled from the country.
“With regards to the issue of wiretapping, if this really happened, then it’s a clear breach of trust.And again, it is against our laws. So I agree with Sec. Teodoro, whoever is responsible for wiretapping or for recording this conversation — if this even happened — they should be expelled or deported from our country. Or not they should answer to our laws,” Dy said.
“We really should hold those people who did that accountable.It does not mean that they came from a bigger country that they can just step on our laws.So, they should be held accountable,” Dionisio added.
The government under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has consistently denied the presence of a secret deal on the Ayungin shoal, with the Chief Executive saying that if such a deal existed, it is now rescinded.
But China insisted that a new model was crafted, under the term of Marcos.
On Friday, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said that Chinese Embassy personnel claiming to have an audio recording of the “new model” agreement in the Ayungin Shoal should be kicked out of the country for wiretapping and “serious breaches of diplomatic protocols and conventions.”
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. meanwhile said that he does not want to dignify Chinese embassy’s threat of releasing an audio proof about the new model, noting that conversations can now be manipulated through deepfakes.