Sen. Kiko Pangilinan has filed a resolution calling for a Senate inquiry into the “Ayungin Deal,” a purported provisional understanding between the Philippines and China which governs rotation and resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal.
Pangilinan proposed Senate Resolution No. 536, which directs the appropriate committee to assess whether the understanding is consistent with the 2016 Arbitral Award and whether it could affect the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.
The resolution noted that the arbitral tribunal classified Ayungin Shoal as a low-tide elevation located within the country’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The DFA Philippines confirmed the provisional understanding in July 2024 following a confrontation during a resupply mission that injured a Philippine Navy serviceman and damaged military equipment.
The DFA said the arrangement did not require China’s permission, recognize foreign jurisdiction over Philippine waters or surrender any part of the country’s sovereignty and maritime entitlements.
Pangilinan, however, cited concerns over how the understanding was negotiated, documented and carried out. His resolution also raised questions about its legal basis, scope and possible impact on future Philippine operations at Ayungin Shoal.
The proposed probe seeks to determine whether sufficient safeguards exist to ensure that any agreement with China does not weaken the arbitral ruling or restrict the Philippines’ exercise of its rights in the West Philippine Sea.
