Gibo Teodoro hits Chinese envoy's statements: We are being threatened

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Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro slammed the apparent threat from the Chinese envoy to the Philippines, saying his department is currently studying the statement.

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan recently told reporters that if Beijing was to use force against Manila, the former would win. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has already called the statement a “thinly veiled threat”.

“Pinag-aaralan talaga namin ang statement na ito kasi hindi dulas yun eh. Mayroon talagang nilalaman ang mga statement na ‘yan at at least natalupan at, in the same statement, sinasabi niya ‘we want peace’ pagkatapos ‘we can use force and you will lose’. Banta ‘yon e. Yun ang tunay na laman ng statement na yan. Tinatakot tayo,” Teodoro said in a radio interview on Friday.

(We are really studying this statement because it is not a slip of tongue. Those statements have weight to it and when you unwrap it, in the same statement, he says ‘we want peace’ and then ‘we can use force and you will lose’. That is a threat. That is the true essence of the statement, We are being threatened.)

Teodoro said that while the threat was a cause for concern, it would not be patriotic to be afraid.

The defense secretary said that such statements could be fueled by Philippine authorities busting illegal activities associated with Chinese citizens, such as Philippine offshore gaming operators, fake steel, illegal mining, human trafficking among others.

The public statement revealed China’s true intentions, Teodoro said

After the Chinese Embassy of the Philippines recently stated that the Philippines shut down military-to-military communications with them, Teodoro explained that the said lines have already been closed for three years, as it was no longer beneficial for the Philippines.

Teodoro also said that the Philippines and China had no Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, or any alignment, so there was no reason to speak.

The Defense chief said that China may be setting the narrative that just in case something happened, it would be because of the Philippines’ side.

Relations between Beijing and Manila have grown tense over the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea.

Despite the Philippines winning its case for the West Philippine Sea in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016, China has disregarded the ruling and continuously claimed most of the waters for itself. —RF, GMA News