MANILA — Senator Jinggoy Estrada refuted former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s assertion connecting an alleged agreement between the Philippines and China regarding the removal of BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal to his father, former president Joseph Estrada.
Estrada deemed Roque’s statement disappointing and deemed it unacceptable for him “to make such baseless claims when he’s not privy to such information.”
“I have previously affirmed in a privilege speech that there was no agreement or commitment made by my father, former president Joseph Estrada, to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal. This was further corroborated by former defense and security officials such as former Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado,” he stated in a release.
As the chair of the Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation, Estrada emphasized that statements like Roque’s sow confusion and doubt regarding the country’s integrity and capability to defend its sovereignty amidst China’s “worsening aggression and bullying.”
“Despite these challenges, it’s commendable that the Marcos administration is taking concrete steps to safeguard our sovereign rights and territorial integrity. Any actions taken to address China’s ongoing and escalating aggression should be supported and encouraged,” the lawmaker asserted.
“We must stand firm and united in defending our sovereignty and protecting our maritime territories for the benefit of both present and future generations,” he added.
When queried about a prior agreement between China and the Philippines to relocate the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal during an interview with Politiko, Roque stated that he was not “privy” to such an agreement but only to the engagements conducted by the Duterte Administration with China.
Roque mentioned that, to his knowledge, the agreement concerning the removal of the grounded warship had been associated with former President Estrada’s administration.
“If I am not mistaken, they attribute that agreement to the administration of President Estrada and not to President Duterte,” Roque remarked during the same interview.
Additionally, Roque revealed in the interview that the Philippines had entered into a “gentleman’s agreement” with China during the Duterte Administration, purportedly preventing the country from dispatching repair materials to the BRP Sierra Madre.
(el Amigo/MNM)
