Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its partners to strengthen regional security by upholding international law, enhancing defense capabilities and deepening cooperation with like-minded nations during the 37th United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) Annual International Military Law and Operations (MILOPS) strategic engagement.
Delivering the keynote address on “Philippine Perspectives on Regional Security Threats,” Teodoro urged participants to move beyond simply identifying security threats, instead examine their broader implications for regional peace, stability and ASEAN centrality. He was joined at the conference by Malaysian Minister of Defense Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn.
Teodoro emphasized that all Philippine defense operations and external security initiatives are firmly anchored on international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He said adherence to internationally recognized legal principles is essential to sustaining defense partnerships and preserving the rules-based international order.
The defense chief also outlined the country’s defense strategy, highlighting internal resilience and alliance-building as key pillars of peace and stability. He said strengthening the country’s defense capabilities within the framework of international law also contributes to a more secure and stable ASEAN.
Marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea, Teodoro said the landmark ruling established legal principles that extend beyond the Philippines, including the invalidation of China’s unilateral and illegal nine-dash line claim. He added that UNCLOS not only defines maritime entitlements but also affirms the Philippines’ status as an archipelagic state under international law, protecting its territorial integrity and benefiting the broader ASEAN region.
Teodoro noted that the Philippines chose to pursue peaceful legal remedies through international arbitration, following the example of several ASEAN member states that had resolved disputes through independent tribunals. He contrasted this with China’s refusal to participate in the arbitration proceedings, saying the Philippines remains committed to resolving disputes transparently and in accordance with international law.
The defense secretary also cited China’s increasingly assertive actions against the Philippines, saying the country’s transparency policy has enabled the international community to witness developments in the West Philippine Sea firsthand.
Addressing the evolving regional security environment, Teodoro warned that decision-making timelines in defense have become significantly shorter. Echoing the assessment of USPACOM Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo, he said situations that once unfolded over days now develop within hours, and in some cases, within just three seconds, underscoring the need for proactive and lawful responses.
In his closing, Teodoro highlighted the Philippines’ strategic position as both an ASEAN member and a Pacific nation. He noted that the country is the only ASEAN state with maritime territory extending into the Pacific Ocean, including Benham Rise, an area larger than the West Philippine Sea.
He said the Philippines serves as ASEAN’s gateway to the Pacific, strengthening regional resilience, connectivity and cooperation. However, he stressed that the country can only fulfill that role if its maritime entitlements are fully protected.
Teodoro argued that the 2016 Arbitral Award should be viewed as a victory not only for the Philippines but also for ASEAN. While expressing confidence that disputes among ASEAN states can be resolved through legal mechanism, he said the same approach remains challenging with China because of its continued assertion of the nine-dash line claim.
He urged ASEAN and other like-minded partners to build strengthen cooperation based on a shared commitment to the rule of law, with the goal of establishing a sustainable regional security architecture that supports a free and open Indo-Pacific and promotes greater economic, cultural and people-to-people cooperation.