MANILA (UPDATE) — An official of the National Security Council (NSC) on Wednesday challenged former Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque to provide details of the alleged deal between the Philippines and China over the West Philippine Sea.

Roque, who served under former President Rodrigo Duterte, claimed that the previous administration and Beijing struck what he called a "gentleman's agreement" to maintain the status quo in Ayungin Shoal, where Manila's military outpost, the rusting BRP Sierra Madre, in the West Philippine Sea is located.

"Nagkaroon kasi ng gentleman's agreement. Ito’y oral sa panahon ni Presidente Duterte na ang parehong panig, ang Tsina’t Pilipinas, ay rerespetuhin ang status quo, ibig sabihin, kung ano yung naroroon na, walang dagdag, walang bawas…Dumating yung Chinese Premier nung panahon ni Presidente Duterte at dumating din si President Xi mismo sa Pilipinas, so maraming pagkakataon talaga na nagkapulong hindi lang sa Ambassador, hindi lang sa Foreign Minister, kundi sa Premiere at kay President Xi dito sa Pilipinas, sa Tsina at iba-ibang venue," Roque said.

Roque further explained that the "gentleman’s agreement" was Duterte’s way to fix the icy relations between the Philippines and China under the Aquino administration, which was the time the Philippines pursued its case against China and won an Arbitral Award that recognized its maritime entitlements in the South China Sea, particularly its sovereign rights over maritime features within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

"Yung kasunduan talaga nabuo sa termino ni President Duterte dahil sa termino naman ni Pangulong Aquino, eh talagang walang mainit na relasyon. Talagang it was the lowest point of Chinese-Philippine relations. Nung pumasok si Presidente Duterte, ang konteksto ay masama ang relasyon sa panig ng Pilipinas at Tsina, at ang ginawa niyang pamamaraan nga para mapabuti ang relasyon at maisulong yung mga bagay na pwedeng isulong gaya ng kalakalan at saka yung investments ay itong status quo agreement nga," he said.

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NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya told ANC that there was no proof to back Roque's claims. 

And, even if such a deal did exist, Malaya asserted that the Marcos administration already rescinded it.

"We are surprised by the statement by Harry Roque because it was made clear, I think around a year ago, by Executive Secretary Medialdea that there was no such agreement done between the previous administration and the Chinese government," Malaya said.

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"I think it is incumbent upon Harry Roque to explain what are the parameters of this agreement. What was this so-called agreement? Does this mean that there was an agreement to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal? It is not clear what exactly was that agreement," he said.

Roque himself has admitted that the "gentleman’s agreement" is not legally binding.

"Sa larangan ng international law ang tratado dapat nakasulat. So habang hindi siya tratado hindi siya pwedeng maging binding sa susunod na gobyerno. Ang pagkakamali siguro ng Tsina, sa buong akala nila itong gentleman's agreement, palibhasa epektibo sa pagkakaroon ng mapayapang relasyon sa Pilipinas, eh magpapatuloy sa administrasyon ni PBBM. Pero taongbayan na maghuhusga: ano bang mas mabuting relasyon -- yung dati na nabawasan ang hidwaan o ngayon na parang istratehiya nila eh painitin para papasukin ang Amerika?" Roque asked.

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Beijing claims sovereignty over 90 percent of the South China Sea, where the smaller West Philippine Sea is located. In 2016, an international court in the Hague ruled that China's claims had no legal basis. -- With a report from Zen Hernandez, ABS-CBN News.