Ex-ES Medialdea: No Duterte-China ‘gentleman’s deal’

FILE PHOTO: Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea said no “gentleman’s agreement” was reached during the meetings he attended between former president Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In his opening speech during the joint hearing of the House of Representatives committees on national defense and security, and on the West Philippine Sea on Tuesday, Medialdea said he was present at two Duterte-Xi meetings in November 2018 and August 2019.

But during those meetings, Medialdea asserted that “no gentleman’s agreement ever took place” between Duterte and Xi. He even noted that Duterte, as a lawyer, thought it would be foolish to make an oral agreement with the Chinese president.

“In my capacity as executive secretary, I was able to attend two official meetings between former president Duterte and President Xi.  First was the state visit of President Xi in the Philippines sometime in November 2018, and second was the official visit of President Duterte to China in August 2019, secretary (Teodoro) Locsin was present in all those meetings,” Medialdea said.

READ: Ex-President Duterte, China had deal to keep WPS status quo – Roque

“Of these two official meetings I attended, no gentleman’s agreement ever took place between former president Duterte and President Xi. President Duterte, being a lawyer, knew fully well that it was foolhardy to enter into an agreement, especially a gentleman’s agreement at that, with the President of the People’s Republic of China on matters involving sovereign rights,” he added.

Medialdea likewise revealed that Duterte and Xi had eight meetings from October 2016 to 2019 and that during all those meetings, Duterte was accompanied by his foreign affairs secretaries.

“Former president Duterte and President Xi Jinping had eight official meetings during the period October 2016 to August 2019. In all the eight official meetings, he was always accompanied by his incumbent Foreign Affairs secretaries namely: the late secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr., then acting secretary, now Secretary Enrique Manalo; secretary, now Senator Alan Peter Cayetano; and secretary, now Ambassador Teodoro Locsin Jr.,” he pointed out.

READ: Solons question past admin execs’ absence in ‘gentleman’s deal’ probe

Rumors about a Duterte-Xi gentleman’s agreement first came out after former Duterte spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque confirmed to reporters on March 27 that Duterte and China had a deal to maintain the current situation in the West Philippine Sea.

Roque mentioned this when asked why Chada had been so aggressive when Philippine vessels, under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, conducted duct resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal.

The resupply missions are intended for soldiers stationed at the BRP Sierra. This World War Two-era Navy ship was deliberately grounded on Ayungin Shoal in 1999 to assert the Philippines’ rights over the area.

President Marcos questioned the supposed deal, asking Duterte several times about what the former president purportedly compromised in that agreement.

Concerns about the gentleman’s agreement prompted the two House panels to launch an investigation. The hearings started on Monday, but several officials — particularly Medialdea, former Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana, and former national security adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. — failed to show up.

Medialdea and Lorenzana were present during Tuesday’s hearing. According to them, they failed to attend the maiden hearing due to prior engagements. Medialdea said Esperon would try to catch up.