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Seeing the danger: Minority Leader Aquino “Koko” Pimentel III urges the Senate to conduct an inquiry as he sees the danger of the alleged gentlemen’s agreement between the Chinese government and former President Rodrigo R. Duterte on the issue of contested islands at the West Philippine Sea. During Monday’s plenary session, May 6, 2024, Pimentel said it is crucial that we conduct a hearing on the issue so that the government can issue a policy and make a stand on how to treat it. “It is important to hear the issue on the so-called gentlemen’s agreement by the proper committee because we are now seeing the danger. According to Sen. Hontiveros, it could be a ploy by China to cause a fight or disagreement among us. And we can see the government’s policy whether to encourage or discourage the entry of unrecorded, informal, and unwritten agreement. We are looking forward to the hearing, so we can have a stand as a body,” Pimentel said. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)