National security priorities take precedence over commercial concerns as the defense sector pushes back against attempts to equate legitimate state claims with foreign aggression.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. stated that calls for a halt to the word war between the Philippines and China regarding the West Philippine Sea should be directed principally to Beijing rather than Manila.
“Business groups have issued a statement to stop the word war between the Philippines and China,” Teodoro said in an interview with radio DZMM.
His remarks followed a joint statement by a coalition of 23 business and sectoral groups urging a de-escalation of tensions between both nations “to lower the temperature, restore disciplined diplomatic engagement and build a stable, respectful and productive bilateral relationship.”
The business coalition, which includes the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, cautioned that escalating verbal disputes could undermine investor confidence, disrupt trade networks, and endanger local employment.
“They should ask China,” Teodoro said, emphasizing that Philippine statements regarding the West Philippine Sea remain strictly factual.
Teodoro said the Philippines stands firmly for truth and transparency in the West Philippine Sea.
He surmised that the private sector appeal is ultimately aimed at China, noting his belief that the signatory groups continue to support the Philippine stance to protect its sovereign interests in the contested area.
“Now, if their intention is to stop the Philippines from standing up to our rights in the West Philippine Sea, they should say it directly,” Teodoro added.
Teodoro also dismissed accusations from the Chinese embassy alleging that he sabotaged a 2018 framework agreement intended for joint oil and gas exploitation in the West Philippine Sea.
“If people like Teodoro had not sabotaged the process, we would have seen tangible results by now,” the embassy said.
In response, Teodoro noted that joint maritime survey arrangements were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court during the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Teodoro also said the framework was formally cancelled in 2022 under President Rodrigo Duterte upon the advice of then Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., “for being potentially constitutionally problematic.”
Teodoro suggested that the Chinese embassy may have mistaken him for the foreign affairs secretary under the Duterte administration.
“Now, assuming I were in the same situation, I would go with the decision 100 percent because it is unconstitutional,” Teodoro said.
“And there is no basis for a joint exploration talk with China, particularly when we consider the Arbitral Award,” Teodoro also said.
The landmark 2016 arbitral ruling invalidated China’s expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, while upholding the Philippines’ exclusive rights within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf.
“To place the onus on us on de-escalating when we do not intrude into China’s EEZ would be, I think, putting the shoe on the wrong foot,” Teodoro said.
“It is not us, it’s China,” Teodoro also said regarding which nation drives instability in the West Philippine Sea.
Additionally, Teodoro rejected claims by Beijing accusing him of abusing his position as chairman of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus to restrict China’s full participation during the assembly.
He clarified that China, which dispatched a defense attache to the event, was granted standard floor opportunities to present its official stance on regional security issues.
“It’s only them who is saying that,” Teodoro added.