President Rodrigo Duterte is conversing with Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo and Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. prior to their departure to Brunei Darussalam on October 16, 2016. King Rodriguez, Malacanang Photo/File

MANILA — Salvador Panelo, the former chief legal counsel of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, said Friday that there was no "gentleman’s agreement whatsoever" with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the West Philippine Sea.

READ: Senate probe sought into 'treasonous' Duterte-China 'gentleman's agreement'

Panelo said Duterte himself told him twice that there was no deal to maintain the "status quo" in the Ayungin shoal, where an aging military vessel serving as Philippine outpost is located, contrary to former Palace spokesman Harry Roque's claim.

“There’s no such animal,” Panelo said during a forum. “Ang sabi ni President Duterte, ‘I did not enter into any gentleman’s agreement whatsoever.’”

Panelo even recalled that Duterte raised the arbitral ruling to Xi during his first visit to China in 2016. 

"Nagulat kami sa reaction ng mama (old man), ng kabila. Sabi niya (Xi), ‘Do not force that because if you force it, there will be trouble.’ Shocked kami lahat biro mo trouble. Ang sabi naman ni Preside, ‘We do not want trouble.' Sabi niya kung hindi tayo magkasundo, eh di let’s have peace,” Panelo said.

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

Commenting on water cannon incidents between the Philippines and Chinese sides in the West Philippine Sea, Panelo surmised China was reacting that way because the Philippines had allowed the US to set up “bases,” referring to the EDCA sites.

Panelo suggested that the Philippines should match the size of China's vessels in the West Philippine Sea and engage in a water cannon battle instead.

READ: Latest China water cannon incident no reason to start battle: maritime expert

“Ang gawin natin kaya tayo nabu-bully, nawa-water cannon, e ang liliit ng mga boats natin. Kumuha kaya tayo ng kasing laki nila. Pag nag-water canon sila, water cannon din natin... Magpaligsahan tayo ng water cannon lang,” Panelo suggested, adding that the situation would not escalate to a bigger conflict.

Panelo also dismissed a reported comment of Sen. Risa Hontiveros that Duterte’s “gentleman’s agreement,” if true, is treasonous.

Still, Panelo said he is willing to attend a senate inquiry into the matter if asked to. 

“Pag pinatawag, bakit naman hindi,” Panelo said.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III meanwhile said that Roque should prove his claim first before the government makes any move policy-wise. 

“Kung si Harry Roque ang source ng lahat nang ito, let him be ready with his proof or evidence so that he can convince us that there is really such an agreement... Pagdating sa government policy it should not ano tawag mo dun it should never be he-said she-said scenario,” Pimentel pointed out.

The Senate has yet to calendar the investigation proposed by Hontiveros.

Roque later in the day shot back at Pimentel by telling the senator to just “Google” the answers to the questions that he raised.

“Ang ebidensya nasa balita lahat. Lahat naman ng sinasabi, nabalita nung 2017 pa. So all you have to do is type 'China Philippines no new development 2017' lalabas lahat yan. Hindi na nga ako kailangang humarap diyan eh. Input lang nila sa Google ‘yan lalabas lahat ‘yan,” Roque said in a phone interview. 

“Anong sinasabi nilang sikreto ‘yan. Wala namang sikreto diyan. It was an agreement to maintain status quo and it worked dahil mas mapayapa yung relasyon ng Pilipinas at China nung mga araw na ‘yun,” the lawyer added.

Asked if the supposed Duterte-Xi agreement was binding, Roque said, “Binding on those that are tending to it ‘no, but not binding on subsequent governments ‘di ba.”