Philippines denies Duterte-era Panatag Shoal pact

The Philippines and China reportedly had an agreement during former President Rodrigo Duterte's administration that Filipino fisherfolk could only enter Panatag Shoal but not its lagoon, while Philippine government vessels would avoid entering the area.

This arrangement was recently challenged by Chinese officials who introduced a new term: a 'temporary special arrangement' on Panatag or Scarborough Shoal following an incident where the China Coast Guard used water cannons against Philippine vessels conducting a humanitarian mission near Panatag Shoal on April 30.

Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard denied the existence of any such agreement, stating that it was merely a product of imagination and unnecessary for the Philippines to adhere to.

Retired Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio argued that Duterte's purported agreement waived Philippine sovereignty temporarily and violated constitutional provisions requiring full disclosure to Congress and the Filipino people.

Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines has become more assertive, actively exposing Chinese actions in disputed waters through transparency initiatives involving government releases and media embeds.

Bilateral ties between the Philippines and China have turned tense as encounters in the West Philippine Sea continue to rise, with China blaming rising tensions on the Philippines for supposedly reneging on Duterte-era agreements.