Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. challenged China to identify Filipino politicians allegedly linked to Beijing, saying the public should know whether the accusations have merit.
The challenge followed reports that China was considering 10 possible measures against the Philippines, including disclosing transactions and assets of some Filipino politicians in China, Hong Kong and Macao.
Teodoro said social media posts by the Chinese Embassy in Manila referring to Filipino politicians could be considered interference in the Philippines’ internal affairs.
He also questioned the credibility of the allegations, saying they could be intended to damage reputations.
Teodoro disagreed with Sen. Robinhood Padilla’s praise of Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan amid calls for the diplomat to be declared persona non grata.
The defense secretary also criticized Jing’s statement challenging the Philippines to close the Chinese Embassy in Manila.
Teodoro called on the ambassador to clarify the remark, saying it could affect diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs condemned the Chinese Embassy’s statements, describing them as provocative and undiplomatic.
The DFA emphasized that the Philippines has the right to take diplomatic measures when necessary.
The dispute comes amid tensions over statements from the Chinese Embassy and allegations concerning Filipino politicians’ purported links to Beijing.
Teodoro’s challenge calls on China to disclose the names of the politicians it allegedly believes have connections to Beijing, allowing the public to assess the claims.
No names of the politicians were provided in the information available. The reported possible measures by China and the statements attributed to the embassy remain central to the diplomatic dispute described in the report.
