Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) gestures to Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte (L) during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Oct. 20, 2016. How Hwee Young, EPA/File 
 

MANILA (UPDATE)  — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday filed a resolution seeking a Senate investigation into the alleged "gentleman's agreement" between the previous administration and China concerning a Philippine military outpost in the West Philippine Sea.

In the proposed Senate Resolution No. 982, Hontiveros said that if the agreement is confirmed to be true, "it would be tantamount to a surrender of Philippine sovereignty."

“This ‘gentleman's agreement’ is treasonous. While China, in any case, will most likely attack our resupply missions en route to Ayungin, this sham of an agreement only gave Beijing more ammunition to assert her baseless claims. Kung totoo ang kasunduan, mukhang isinuko nga ni Duterte ang teritoryo ng Pilipinas,” Hontiveros said.

READ: Duterte nagka-'gentleman's agreement' sa China tungkol sa West PH Sea: Roque

Former Palace spokesman Harry Roque had revealed that his former principal Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed to keep the "status quo" in the Ayungin Shoal, where the aging BRP Sierra Madre is located.

"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.

(It means that nothing would change. The Chinese Premier and President Xi visited the Philippines during Duterte's time, there were many instances when Philippine officials met with the Chinese Ambassador, Foreign Minister, the Premiere, and President Xi here in the Philippines, in China, and various other venues.)

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.

China has been repeatedly citing the alleged deal to put the blame on the Philippines over the worsening tension in the West Philippine Sea.

“It is our duty to fortify the BRP Sierra Madre. Without it on Ayungin, we effectively give way for China to illegally occupy what is ours. If we stop reinforcing the Sierra Madre, we not only lose a crucial, strategic outpost, but also fail to defend our sovereignty,” Hontiveros said.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. earlier appealed to Filipinos to "not lose sight" of China's illegal activities in the West Philippine Sea as he accused Beijing of using the alleged deal as a diversion tactic.

READ: China using 'gentleman's pact' to deflect illegal activities in WPS: Teodoro

Following the filing of the resolution, Roque issued a statement calling out Hontiveros’ “sinophobia” or anti-China sentiment as well as her “obvious gross ignorance of the law.”

“Treason requires first an armed conflict. She’s obviously riding high on sinophobia which will only worsen already heated bilateral relations between the Philippines and China,” Roque said.

The former Palace spokesman also accused Hontiveros of using the issue “in aid of her election for higher office.”

Hontiveros has yet to respond to Roque’s comments.

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