South China Sea: who is Alberto Carlos, the Philippine admiral who allegedly agreed to ‘new model’ in Second Thomas Shoal?

The Philippine government and military have defended Carlos, but critics continue to question his ties to Beijing, in light of his attendance at China’s Naval Command College in 2008 where he was the first Filipino military officer to have completed a course there as part of an intergovernmental programme.

Carlos is on an indefinite leave of absence from service, the military confirmed on Tuesday.

Local paper Palawan News, located in the same region where Wescom is based, reported that Carlos met Chinese envoy Huang Xilian on July 21, 2022 and stressed the need for a “diplomatic approach” in resolving competing claims in the West Philippine Sea – Manila’s term for the section of the South China Sea that defines its maritime territory and includes its exclusive economic zone.

According to Palawan News, Carlos paid a courtesy call to Huang at the Chinese embassy in Makati City as he had attended the Chinese navy’s Command College in Nanjing.

Carlos apparently kept in touch with the embassy. On May 6, Lian Jian, spokesman of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the “new model” was reached “early this year … after multiple rounds of discussions through the diplomatic channel and AFP Wescom”.

The key points of the deal included a “1+1” model for both sides, meaning Manila would deploy a coastguard vessel and a resupply boat to the shoal, while China would launch one coastguard ship and a fishing boat.

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Political analysts in the Philippines say China might be using Carlos as a “pawn” given his position as head of the Western Command.

“It’s part of the cognitive warfare of the [Chinese] military,” said Chester Cabalza, founding