Ex-Wescom chief Carlos says Chinese diplomat apologized to him
Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command Commander Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines— A Chinese diplomat has apologized to a Filipino military general after their phone call regarding the West Philippine Sea has been exposed to the public.
At Wednesday’s hearing of the Senate committee on national defense, former Western Command (Wescom) chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos identified his caller from the Chinese embassy last January as a certain “Senior Colonel Li.”
When panel chairman, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, asked if he had ill-feelings toward the diplomat for making their phone conversation public, Carlos answered no.
READ: Axed Wescom chief: No secret deal in phone call with Chinese diplomat
“It’s part of the game, Mr. Chair,” Carlos said.
Pressed if he did not text the diplomat to confront why he exposed their conversation, the former Wescom chief said he did not reply to Li’s message.
“But did he apologize to you?” Estrada asked.
“In a message, yes Mr. Chair,” Carlos said.
The military official also agreed with Estrada’s statement that the diplomat was probably feeling guilty for releasing their audio recording.
“Probably, that’s a reasonable assumption,” he said.
READ: Ex-Wescom Chief: I didn’t give consent to Chinese embassy’s recording
According to Carlos, he did not give his consent to record or release their phone conversation which was initiated by the diplomat.
The phone call lasted for only three to five minutes, he said.
Carlos said they only discussed how they could ease the tension at the West Philippine Sea, contrary to China’s allegations that he had forged an agreement regarding Ayungin Shoal.
“Let me repeat 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, reading a prepared statement at the start of the hearing.
“I did not enter into any secret deals that will compromise the interests of our country,” the Wescom chief added.
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