Roque denies Duterte-Xi verbal fishing deal

Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio accused President Rodrigo Duterte of having a verbal agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping that allows Chinese vessels to fish within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

Carpio claimed this agreement has emboldened China to ignore diplomatic protests from the Philippines over its presence in the West Philippine Sea.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque denied the existence of such an agreement, calling it baseless conjecture and emphasizing that there is no truth to a purported 'verbal fishing deal' between Duterte and Xi.