Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)
China alone is the troublemaker in the region – Teodoro
MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday rejected Vice President Sara Duterte’s remark that the Philippines was becoming a “troublemaker of Southeast Asia,” saying China was the one causing trouble in the region.
“Kaya ang troublemaker dito ay ang China lang,” Teodoro said in a Zoom interview with reporters. (China alone is the troublemaker here.)
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Duterte made the remark on Monday, Oct. 12, while questioning the portrayal of China-linked business dealings as a national security threat.
Speaking to reporters during the Office of the Vice President’s anniversary celebration in Mandaluyong City, Duterte also cited a drug shipment bound for the Philippines from Laos and Thailand.
Asked about her statement, Teodoro pointed to the Philippines’ defense of its maritime rights, questioning how Filipino soldiers sacrificing to protect those rights could be called troublemakers.
He said the country’s rights at sea were tied to its future and sustainability.
“Obviously, nobody can say na ang Pilipinas ay ang nanggugulo dahil unang-una tayo ay mas maliit na bansa, ipinaglalaban lang natin ang kinabukasan ng ating bansa,” he said.
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(Obviously, nobody can say the Philippines is causing trouble because, first of all, we are a smaller country. We are only fighting for our country’s future.)
Teodoro also cited other countries’ objections to Beijing’s conduct, saying China repeatedly dismissed criticism of its actions as provocative.
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Asked whether Chinese rhetoric and influence operations could worsen ahead of the 2028 elections, he said the situation was already deteriorating.
“Wala pang eleksyon eh. Lumalala na eh,” he said. (There are no elections yet, and it is already getting worse.)
READ: AFP backs Teodoro move to scrap China military hotline
Teodoro warned that even slowing efforts to strengthen Philippine defenses could hurt the country’s ability to resist Chinese aggression and expansion. A policy reversal, he added, would be “damaging and disastrous” to its future.
On the business dealings raised in the same question, Teodoro said Filipinos are not prohibited from doing business with China.
But whether a public official was allowed to engage in particular transactions was a separate matter for the proper investigative authorities to determine, he said.
He added that dealings with China should be closely examined for legitimacy and propriety when they involved officials with a voice in matters affecting the country’s territorial integrity. /gsg
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