Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte pushed back against Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Saturday, August 1, accusing the defense chief of attempting to “demonize China” after Teodoro suggested that public officials backing Beijing in the West Philippine Sea dispute should consider resigning.
Duterte emphasized that elected officials answer to the Filipino voting public, not to the defense secretary. He argued that if Teodoro believes an official has broken any laws, he should file formal legal charges instead of issuing public calls for resignations.
Rejecting the “pro-China” label placed on certain politicians, Duterte stated that patriotism should not be measured by political branding or how loudly an official speaks on the maritime dispute. He questioned why China is singled out as an adversary when other nations also hold overlapping claims in the area.
Furthermore, Duterte stated that Teodoro’s focus should remain on boosting national defense capabilities rather than policing the political loyalty of elected leaders.
He also referenced Teodoro’s past dual citizenship and brought up Senate President Win Gatchalian’s Chinese ancestry to argue that family heritage should not be used to judge an official’s patriotism.
Addressing the military, Duterte urged members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to concentrate on their constitutional mandate and avoid being drawn into conflicts driven by politicians’ personal interests or egos.
Duterte’s statement follows Teodoro’s remarks at Wednesday’s Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, where he argued that elective officials siding with Beijing should resign because their oath binds them to protect the Constitution and national laws.
Teodoro released a two-page clarification on Saturday, explaining that his comments were not meant to force resignations over personal opinions, but rather to highlight the duty of public servants to adhere to established laws and policies.
He cited Administrative Order No. 29, issued in 2012, which officially named the waters along the country’s western littoral as the West Philippine Sea. Teodoro noted that unless the judiciary voids the order, officials are legally bound to uphold it.
He added that the Philippines’ expanded continental shelf submission to the United Nations regarding Bajo de Masinloc makes it vital for officials to align with the country’s official maritime stance.