Philippine Navy soldiers transfer essential cargoes from Unaizah May 4 and BRP Cabra to the BRP Sierra Madre off Ayungin Shoal on March 23, 2024

MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) maintained the Philippines has not made any deals with China concerning the Ayungin Shoal after Beijing claimed that Manila had agreed on a “new model” for handling their territorial dispute.

In a statement on Sunday, the DFA said it has no knowledge of the “new model” arrangement mentioned by the Chinese Embassy.

“The DFA reiterates its firm position that the Philippines has not entered into any agreement abandoning its sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, including on the Ayungin Shoal,” the department said.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año earlier denied the claim of the Chinese Embassy that the Western Command (WESCOM) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines had agreed on a “new model” to address tensions at Ayungin Shoal. WESCOM oversees the West Philippine Sea.

The Chinese Embassy alleged that Teodoro and Año knew about the deal. Teodoro called the claim “devious machination.”

“This charade must stop,” Teodoro said.

Meanwhile, Año branded Beijing’s claim as “absolutely absurd, ludicrous, and preposterous.”

“China should desist from disseminating such disinformation or insinuations against Philippine officials, which create confusion among the Filipino public and distract from the real issues created by China’s unfounded claims, and illegal and aggressive actions in our waters,” the DFA said.

The agency added that it has been seeking ways to reduce tensions with China through established diplomatic channels.

“If China is serious about properly managing the differences at sea, we urge China to favorably consider the standing Philippine invitation to convene the next meeting of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM-SCS) as soon as possible,” it added.

In a statement on Sunday, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said that the DND was never a party to any deal struck between the Chinese embassy and the Philippine government that justifies the illegal presence of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

“I would like to clearly state that any insinuation that the Department of National Defense is a party to any ‘new model’ is a devious machination of China through their Embassy in Manila, and it is curious that it comes right after their actions were condemned in the recent SQUAD meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii,” Teodoro said.

Rebuffing China, Teodoro said that he had barred all contact between the DND and the Chinese Embassy since the courtesy call of Ambassador Huang Xilian in July 2023.

“During the said courtesy call, there was no discussion or briefing on any “gentleman’s agreement” or “new model”, which is contrary to the Chinese Embassy’s pronouncements,” Teodoro said.

“This charade must stop,” the DND chief added.

On Sunday, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año similarly rebuffed the Chinese embassy’s claims of a “new model,” describing the statements of the embassy as “absolutely absurd, ludicrous and preposterous.” 

“No one in the Philippine government is, nor have been, empowered nor authorized to enter into or commit to any sort of agreement, understanding, or arrangement – more so informal ones, by our President,” Año said.

Año added that the “timing” of the Chinese Embassy’s claim of a “new model” is meant to distrct from the “bigger story of the piling of dead corral ruble in Pag-Asa Cays 1,2,3.” 

Scientists from the University of the Philippines Institute of Biology on Saturday released a study that found the marine life in Sandy Cay in the West Philippine Sea is already in a “degraded state.” 

The deterioration of the marine life in the Sandy Cay is traced to the pile of sand and rubble dumped on Pag-asa Cays 1, 2, 3, which have the characteristics “atypical of naturally foremd coral or sandy barrier islands,” the study found. 

China’s island-building activities, which the Philippines has protested repeatedly, were mentioned as a possible cause, with “some degree of uncertainty.”

“This is the bigger story that they want to dislodge from the headlines and deflect attention from. It has truly reached a new low of pathetic desperation,” Año said.

PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela categorically denied such claims, calling it “fabricated.”

“We have no temporary special arrangements whatsoever,” Tarriela told reporters in a text message.

 “Let us not be influenced by their fabricated stories once again, which aim to confuse the Filipino people and divert the public discourse from the real issue of their harassment and provocative actions in Bajo De Masinloc,” he also said, referring to the other name of Panatag Shoal.

Beijing asserts sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, despite the international court ruling that deemed its stance to have no legal basis.