Manila, May 9 -- Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Thursday denounced the alleged recorded audio communication between a Chinese diplomat and a high-ranking Filipino military official as "nothing but another apparent disinformation campaign by the Chinese government."

In a statement, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on National Defense further called it a "trap" to divert attention from China's claims and aggression against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

"China's claim is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. We will not be swayed by falsehoods," Estrada said.

The Chinese Embassy earlier said the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines made an agreement with China on the "new model" for managing the ...