Duterte camp says he made no promise to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin

The camp of former president Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he did not make any promise to China to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

"No promise whatsoever was made by FPRRD to remove Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal. Simbolo yan ng bayan natin in that area. He will never do it," former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea said in a message to reporters.

On Monday, after the camps of former presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo denied making such a commitment, ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro said that Duterte had not issued a denial.

"Their silence on the issue speaks volumes," she said.

She added that on May 6, 2021, Duterte called the country's arbitral victory against China's claims in the West Philippine Sea just a piece of paper to be thrown in the trash.

"As it is, Duterte has the longest list of instances of sleeping with China and we in the Makabayan bloc are now mulling to file a House resolution to investigate in aid of legislation the supposed Philippine officials who promised the removal of BRP Sierra Madre or if China is just making this up," Castro said.

On August 5, Chinese coast guard and militia vessels fired water cannons on two Philippine boats on their way to resupply the servicemen stationed at the Sierra Madre, a rusting Navy ship grounded at Ayungin Shoal. The Chinese vessels also performed "dangerous" maneuvers to separate the resupply boats from their Philippine Coast Guard escorts.

On August 7, China claimed that the Philippines had promised to remove the ship from the shoal, which it calls Ren'ai Reef and which it claims as its territory. — Sherylin Untalan/BM, GMA Integrated News