Malacañang on Friday denied that there was a “verbal fishing agreement” between President Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping just days after Manila filed two more diplomatic protests against the continued presence of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea. The denial also comes after former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio pointed to a statement by Duterte himself that he had a “verbal agreement” with Xi in 2016 to allow the Chinese to fish in Philippine waters. “There is no truth to the speculation of a purported ‘verbal fishing agreement’ between President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and President Xi Jin Ping, nor that Chinese vessels were encouraged to stay in West Philippine Sea despite the diplomatic protests and strongly worded statements of Philippine government officials,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

Salaverria, L., Ramos, M., & . (2021, April 24). Cabalza, DPalace: No Du30-Xi fishing pact; Sino 'swarm' remains. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A1.