Senator Robin Padilla stood up to defend former President Rodrigo Duterte in a Senate manifestation on Wednesday, August 23, in relation to China's claim that the Philippines had agreed to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal.

According to Padilla, China and President Duterte did not have a conversation regarding the removal of the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal, as confirmed by former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

"Nais ko lamang pong ipaalam na kahit kailan hindi po nagkaroon ng pag-uusap ang bansang Tsino at ang Pangulong Duterte patungkol sa pag-aalis ng BRP Sierra Madre diyan sa Ayungin Shoal. Ito ay pinatunayamn din ng ating dating kalihim na si Secretary Medialdea patungkol po rito," the Senator said.

"Gusto ko lang ipaalam s alahat na ang ating pangulo ay master sa geopolitics at hindi po niya kailanman ibebenta ang Pilpinas. Gusto ko lamang po ipaaalam sa laaht na ang ating dating pangulo ay nagtanggol ng ating soberanya," he added.

Padilla's brief speech comes after the camps of former presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo denied committing to China the removal of BRP Sierra Madre from the contested waters.

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro earlier said that it is possible that Duterte made the promise to China because of its silence on the issue and even had a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jin Ping.