THE government on Monday called on media to expose and push back against China's "twisted and baseless narratives" about the West Philippine Sea (WPS), particularly its insistence that the two sides had reached a "gentleman's agreement" on how to deal with Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.

The National Security Council (NSC) on Monday accused China of controlling the information space with its "twisted and baseless narratives" about the West Philippine Sea, particularly the alleged "gentleman's agreement" supposedly entered into between the previous administration and the Chinese government.

In a speech during a media seminar for the Malacañang Press Corps, Año emphasized the "potent power of journalists" in exposing China's "belligerent actions in our waters, or in trumpeting the efforts of the government to stand its ground against incursions and the many forms of aggression" in the West Philippine Sea.

China, he said, "has been doubling down in its dangerous, coercive, aggressive and illegal activities in our territory."

"One glaring development in their tactics: They have been busy trying to control the information space with their twisted and baseless narratives, propagating misinformation, disinformation, malign influence operations, and other propaganda primarily to serve and advance their interests and divide and distract us," the NSC chief said.

"For example, on this issue of alleged promises, gentleman's agreement or common understanding which has been hogging the headlines for several months now: These are clearly black propaganda used to create distractions, divisions and conflict among our people," he said.

Año, who heads the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, cited President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s repeated remarks that the Philippines did not enter into any agreement regarding the country's operations in the Ayungin Shoal.

"It serves no purpose and has no bearing because President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has been very clear: This administration is not aware of any secret or gentleman's agreement, and if there was such done under a previous administration, the same has been rescinded," he said.

Earlier, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said it "repeatedly" informed the current administration about the so-called gentleman's agreement, contradicting the President's description of it as a secret deal.

"Since the current Philippine administration took office, the Chinese side has repeatedly briefed this administration on matters related to the gentleman's agreement, made representations regarding the Ren'ai Jiao (Ayungin Shoal) issue, and remained committed to exploring ways of managing the differences through dialogue and consultation with the Philippine side," the Chinese embassy said in an earlier statement.

The Chinese embassy said Beijing invited a certain envoy of the President to China for Special Concerns — without naming the person — to discuss the management of the dispute over Ayungin Shoal in September 2023.

It did not provide further details regarding that supposed meeting, but the embassy said it "resulted in an internal understanding."

"A new model for management of the Ren'ai Jiao (Ayungin Shoal) situation was also agreed upon by both sides early this year after rounds of serious communications with the Philippine military," China's embassy in Manila said.

"Regrettably, only one round of resupply missions was carried out within the realm of these understandings and arrangements before they were unilaterally abandoned by the Philippine side for no good reason," it added.

But the NSC chief said that the talks about the alleged "new model" arrangement, as announced by the Chinese Embassy, were "nothing more than a new invention."

"As the President has clearly stated, there is no agreement whatsoever about Ayungin Shoal and that we shall continue to do all activities within the bounds of international law and we shall brook no interference in our lawful actions," Año said.

"To make matters worse, the corrosive narratives are also parroted and amplified by local apologists, propagandists, trolls, and fear mongers who are promoting a 'defeatist' attitude reminiscent of collaborators in our history. They would rather that our country remain silent and accommodating in the face of outright aggression and bullying inside our maritime zones," he said.

Año then called on the media and the public "to stand their ground and push back against these malign and corrosive narratives that seek to undermine the national interest."

"The media, most especially, should never fall into a trap which clearly seeks to sow division in our country and weaken our resolve in asserting our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the WPS," Año said.

In the future, the NSC chief said "these tactics will escalate as tensions are expected to boil" in the contested waters.

"It is very concerning for us — for in this era of digital connectivity, people easily fall into these traps. In preventing, controlling, and countering such, we in the government cannot do it alone," Año said.

"We will need the media to push back against these corrosive narratives, for it is not only the government's interest that is at stake here. Rather, [it] is our country's territorial integrity, sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdictions that are on the line," he added.

Año also emphasized that arming the public with information that stands on legal ground was crucial in this battle against fake news, disinformation, and misinformation.

He said the Philippine government merely wanted "to expose to the whole world that the Chinese narratives are full of lies and are purely based on deceptions."

"What we in government strive to do now is to control and counter these false narratives by bringing out the truth, by being more transparent in our reports, and by exposing and correcting these unfounded and deceitful information and propaganda against us," Año said,

"We pledge to work in closer coordination and collaboration with the media not only in this pursuit but also in other aspects that forward our overall national security agenda. We are one nation, and we must be all in this together," he added.