From the Newsrooms: May 5 to 11, 2024

China insists on “new model” agreement with PH; PDEA leaks linked to the alleged destabilization plot vs Marcos Jr.

THIS WEEK surfaced some troubling issues. The Chinese Embassy’s persistent claims about previous agreements about resupply missions sparked tense exchange between PH government officials and Chinese diplomats. On another front, leaked documents alleging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s drug use were linked to “destabilization” plots against his administration, rooted still in growing hostility between the president, his predecessor, their family and supporters. 

After the latest water canon attacks against Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and civilian vessels, Chinese officials recalled earlier agreements about the supply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and how these were breached by the Philippines. On May 4, China released a statement explaining further the terms of the arrangement. As reported by several the media outlets, the agreement held the Philippines to a “new model” – conditions imposed on supply missions which China claimed have not been complied with by the Philippines, causing China to launch the attacks.

The Philippine Star report on May 5 said that the agreement was made in 2023 between the Chinese embassy and the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP-Wescom). The same report said China claimed that the AFP-Wescom, led by its chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, “made repeated confirmation” that the “new model” had been approved by all key officials in the Philippine chain of command, including Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro and the National Security Advisor Eduardo Año. 

On May 6 several media reports carried statement of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) “strongly denying” the country’s had entered into such an arrangement, reiterating that the Philippines would abandon its sovereignty over its own territory. Reports also stated denials of Teodoro and Año. Both security officials underscored that only the President has the authority to make a deal with foreign countries. Teodoro said that China’s announcement was a “clear attempt to advance falsehood.” 

The Manila Times on May 8 published a transcription snippet of the conversation between Carlos and a Chinese embassy diplomat. An unnamed Chinese official provided the news outlet with a phone recording of the conversation when the Wescom chief allegedly agreed to a “1+1 model” proposing that the Philippines could send only one PCG vessel and one supply ship during its resupply missions. Furthermore, it also required that the Philippines notify China two days in advance when a resupply mission would be conducted. The “gentleman’s agreement” also limited supplies to food and other essentials and required constant communication between the two sides. Only The Manila Times had this story. 

The Manila Times said they could not seek confirmation with Carlos as the official had gone on personal leave. According to GMA News Online which followed up on the story, the AFP confirmed the leave but did not say how long he would be absent. AFP said Commodore Alfonso Torres Jr. will be temporarily serving as acting Wescom chief. 

In a TV Patrol report on May 8, Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad reacted to the The Manila Times report and stressed that this was all a part of China’s propaganda warfare. Trinidad said that the “new model” was a dead issue and was being resurrected and rehashed by China. The report quoted a DFA official speaking in a forum who said that China has been spreading lies and misinformation and that the DFA and Department of National Defense would act on this persistent use of propaganda.

On May 9, the AFP said that they would not honor the audio recording presented by China as it could have been generated through AI, Frontline Pilipinas reported.

Several news outlets also reported Teodoro’s claim that China may have violated Philippine anti-wiretapping law by recording the conversation. Teodoro urged the DFA to take appropriate action against the possible violations made, pointing out that the allegations of breached agreements should have gone through the DFA. 

On May 10, Año, quoted in a Manila Bulletin report, agreed with Teodoro’s proposition that the people from the Chinese embassy involved in the phone conversation should be expelled from the Philippines for violating Philippine laws.

Meanwhile, throughout the week, several news reports said DFA’s diplomatic channels remain open for more talks on WPS issues. TV Patrol said that DFA has invited China to a bilateral meeting this May but the latter has yet to respond. 

PDEA leaks and the alleged destabilization plot vs Marcos

Although the news did not highlight the real intent of holding another hearing on the allegations about the president’s use, reporting this simply as another hearing. 

On May 7, the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs led by Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, held a second hearing about the allegations, taking up the “PDEA leaks” although the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has long denied the existence of such a document.  This supposedly included a 2012 document linking President Marcos and actress Maricel Soriano to illegal drugs. 

An earlier hearing on April 30 surfaced Jonathan Morales, a former intelligence officer, claiming the documents were authentic and were based on statements by an informant whose identity, however he could not recall.

Media reporting some highlights of the latest hearing featured Soriano’s statements saying none of the invited witnesses could verify the authenticity of the leaked information.

Philstar.com, among others, quoted several lawmakers who warned about the Senate losing its integrity over the probe. The report quoted Representatives David Suarez (Quezon, 2^nd District), Zia Adiong (Lanao del Sur, 1^st District), and Jefferson Khonghun (Zambales, 1st District) all of whom believed that the hearing was becoming a platform for political persecution. 

Khonghun also alleged allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte to have launched the Senate inquiry to “destabilize” the current administration.

As reported in several news outlets, former Senator Antonio Trillanes shared the same sentiments as he told the media throughout the week that the PDEA leaks was part of the destabilization plot against Marcos by the previous administration. The former senator also revealed that some of the senior officials of the Philippine National Police are actively recruiting officers to oust Marcos. Trillanes alleged that the Duterte camp is fast-tracking its plan to oust Marcos because the International Criminal Court is expected to issue an arrest warrant for Duterte in the second quarter of 2024.  

Reports picked up Dela Rosa’s denial of his intent to destabilize the Marcos administration. 

Marcos just laughed when asked by the media about the PDEA leaks in an ambush interview on May 7. He left the interview without answering the question. 

The President was asked the same question in another ambush interview on May 10 when he accused Morales of being a “professional liar” calling attention to his checkered record. Morales was dishonorably discharged from police service before he became an intelligence officer in PDEA. Marcos in the same interview also belied any destabilization efforts against him by current high-ranking police officials. 

Meanwhile, in other news:

• Waiting for the gold. The media reported on May 8 that approximately 1,000 members of Democratic and Republican Guardians Philippines Inc. from different parts of the country gathered at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to demand the release of an alleged “hidden wealth” worth over PHP100 trillion. The group claimed that the wealth was intended to be distributed to the masses. The group was led by Gilbert Langres who stated that the funds had been kept in the BSP since the term of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and had already matured. 
  
  According to reports, the protestors want to claim their share of the funds and they have documents as claimants. The report said that personnel from the Bank urged protesters to go home and assured them that this would be reported to the BSP. The reports also included BSP’s clarification that it does not distribute funds directly to the public but works with the government to improve the economy.
  
  
• The Supreme Court has “finally” declared red-tagging as a threat to a person’s constitutional rights of life, liberty, and security. Media reported this development on May 8 after SC decided on a petition filed by Siegfred Deduro, a founding member and vice president for the Visayas of Bayan Muna and the Makabayan Coalition. Derudo sought protection against the red-tagging attacks by the military through the writ of Amparo. The high court honored the petition noting the dangers of red-tagging and the guilt of association. This was the first time the SC defined red-tagging in paper. Human rights advocates positively welcomed this development.