Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles called a 2016 verbal agreement on fishing rights at Reed Bank between President Rodrigo R. Duterte and China’s Xi Jinping a preliminary step to a more formalized deal, as members of the government aired conflicting positions on the validity of the arrangement. Mr. Nograles also acknowledged Wednesday that the filing of impeachment charges over the fishing rights granted to China is not in itself a crime, but added that resorting to such a procedure might be interpreted as a “threat” if the prospect of impeachment is used to force President Rodrigo R. Duterte to take a certain course of action. Speaking to media at the Palace Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Nograles said individuals who “threaten” the President with impeachment may be committing a crime.

Balinbin, A. L. (2019, July 4). China fishing deal seen as preliminary to more talks. BusinessWorld, p. S1/4.