Former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario on Tuesday said for the first time that the United States played a key role in the events that led to the Philippines losing control of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal to China in 2012 and reignited the dispute in the South China Sea. Del Rosario said the United States brokered talks to end the standoff between China and the Philippines at Panatag and got the two countries to agree to simultaneously pull out their ships from the area. He admitted that the Philippines mistakenly believed that China would keep its word and call off its ships.

Pazzibugan, D. Z. (2019, April 17). Del Rosario: US brokered talks to end 2012 Panatag standoff. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A11.