Senators undecided on inviting Duterte to China ‘deal’ probe

Sen. Risa Hontiveros (Photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Should former President Rodrigo Duterte be invited once the Senate begins its investigation of his so-called gentleman’s agreement with China?

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said it would be up to the chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on who to invite.

“I can’t say that I want to see them, but the committee and the Senate’s job is to get information, as much as possible, straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak — what really transpired, the truth in aid of legislation,” Hontiveros told reporters in a press conference on Wednesday.

It was Hontiveros who filed Senate Resolution No. 982 which initially sought a probe on the former chief executive’s alleged secret pact with China on “maintaining status quo” in the West Philippine Sea.

READ: Hontiveros files resolution for probe into Duterte-China WPS deal

The opposition lawmaker’s resolution was recently referred to the Senate panel on foreign relations which is headed by Sen. Imee Marcos.

Putting together the agenda

In a separate ambush interview also Wednesday, Marcos said her committee is still trying to “put together the agenda, the resource persons list and see who would be willing to attend” the probe.

Asked if she’s leaning toward inviting Duterte to the hearing, she immediately said: “I still don’t know. We are still listing down the relevant people.

READ: Duterte denies he ‘conceded’ anything in WPS deal with China

Marcos likewise shunned the idea of holding an executive session on the issue instead of a public hearing.

“We can always withdraw into an executive session, but my preference is that there’s no need to conduct an executive session for us to uncover everything. If there’s really a secret, it would stay hidden if we’re going to conduct an executive session. What’s the purpose of that?” said Marcos.

In April, Duterte admitted that he had entered into a “gentleman’s agreement” with China. He, however, emphasized that the Philippines did not concede anything with this pact.

“Aside from the  handshake with President Xi Jinping, the only thing I remember was that status quo. That’s the word — no movement. No movement, no armed patrols there. As is where is, so that there’s no trouble…  So we won’t get into trouble,” said Duterte then.