Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command Commander Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
MANILA, Philippines — Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, former chief of the military’s Western Command (Wescom), vehemently denied forging a “secret deal” with China on the Ayungin Shoal dispute.
Facing the Senate committee on defense on Wednesday, Carlos admitted receiving a phone call from the Chinese military attaché, a certain “Senior Colonel Li,” early this year.
“I did not forge any agreement at the level and magnitude that would bind our two countries for the long term and redefine foreign policy,” he said in his opening statement.
“I did not enter into any secret deals that [would] compromise the interests of our country,” he stressed.
Carlos pointed out that he was just the head of Wescom and “not even of the entire West Philippine Sea.”
“I have not compromised the country’s territorial integrity. I have not given up our sovereign rights and entitlement[s],” he said.
During his conversation with the Chinese diplomat, Carlos said they only discussed exploring ways to reduce the tension in the West Philippine Sea.
“We did not discuss the new model. We did not discuss the term common understanding; new model[s] were not part of our conversation,” he added.
Carlos had been removed from Wescom as his phone conversation was exposed by the Chinese embassy in Manila.