Ex-Wescom head Carlos breaks silence: No ‘new model’ talks with China

AFP WESCOM Head Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos | File photo from the official X page of Western Command AFP / @TeamWESCOM

MANILA, Philippines — Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, former commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Command, denied discussions about a supposed “new model” and “common understanding” in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.

Carlos made this pronouncement during the hearing of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation.

“We did not discuss the new model. We did not discuss the term. ‘Common understanding,’ ‘new model’ were not part of our conversation,” Carlos said.

The Chinese embassy presented a supposed transcript of the conversation of Carlos and a Chinese diplomat, claiming they also have an audio recording of the exchange pertaining to the “new model” of Ayungin Shoal, according to a Manila Times report.

Carlos was removed as chief of Wescom after this development.