Manila, April 18 -- Malacanang on Thursday rejected the statement of former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario that the United States brokered an agreement with the Philippines and China to pull out their respective vessels during the standoff at the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in 2012.
"There is no proof that the United States has brokered an agreement for the Philippines and China to withdraw their respective vessels during the Scarborough Shoal standoff in 2012," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
Panelo, however, said that even if such brokering took place, del Rosario's decision to agree to the US proposal and trust that China would keep its word showed his "inexperience" as foreign affairs chief...