Statement of the National Security Adviser
Secretary Eduardo M. Año
Manila, Philippines | 05 May 2024
The Chinese Embassy’s claim of a “new model” or “common understanding” is absolutely absurd, ludicrous, and preposterous. After the courtesy call of the Chinese Ambassador to my office early last year, I have not talked to any official from the Chinese Embassy directly or indirectly on any matter, much more to discuss any arrangement or deal with regards to our rightful and routinary resupply operations in
Ayungin Shoal.
No one in the Philippine government is, nor have been, empowered nor authorized to enter into or commit to any sort of agreement, understanding, or arrangement – more so informal ones, by our President. Neither I nor any other principals or officials
from the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea have consented nor committed to any proposal that will compromise the National Interest from agents of a foreign power actively engaged in oppressing us in our territories and waters. Nor will we ever even entertain proposals principally premised or grounded on the illegal, debunked, and fabricated “9 or 10 dash line.”
The Chinese Embassy needs to be reminded that you can never deceive the Filipino people with your fabricated stories, bluffs, and fake exchanges of communication just to support your illegal claim of Philippine territory as well as to justify your illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions particularly the use of military-grade lasers, water cannons, dangerous blocking maneuvers, and ramming of our vessels which has caused wounded casualties on our side.
The Chinese Embassy even went to the extent of creating a chat group with select members of the media to manipulate the information environment. In this chat group, instead of media asking the question, the Embassy posts leading questions which they themselves answer providing them the opportunity to publish their corrosive narratives and scripted stories. The media is then compelled to ask the PH government for comment; everyone then falls into the trap the Embassy has deceitfully sprung on them.
Moreover, the timing of this story is clearly meant to distract from the bigger story of the piling of dead corral ruble in Pag-Asa Cays 1,2,3 which is meant to create a high tide man-made geologic feature between Pagasa Island and Subi reef in an attempt to reverse the findings of the 2016 Arbitral Award. This is the bigger story that they want to dislodge from the headlines and deflect attention from. It has truly reached a new low of pathetic desperation.
Given that this entire “arrangement story” is clearly fake news and disinformation, this will be the last time I will ever comment on this issue.
We enjoin our friends and partners in the media to remember that this has been definitively put to rest by no less than the President of our Republic. The next time the Chinese Embassy release fake news and disinformation similar to these, we ask that you and everyone kindly view and treat these releases for what they really are: a waste of yours and everyone’s time.
https://x.com/jaytaryela/status/1787023200528032116
https://x.com/jaytaryela/status/1787023200528032116
