Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. is hoping that former President Rodrigo Duterte pushed for the interests of the Philippines when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing earlier this week.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (File photo)
Teodoro said he wants to know the details of what things were discussed by Duterte and Xi during their meeting last Monday, July 17.
“Kailangan muna malaman natin kung anong pinag-usapan para mahusgahan natin kung cause of concern o hindi. Pero inaasahan natin na ang dating presidente ng Pilipinas, si President Duterte, inaasahan natin na ang interest ng Pilipinas ay taglay niya (We need to know first what they talked about before we can judge whether it is a cause for concern or not. But we expect that former Philippine President Duterte has the best interest of the Philippines in mind),” he said on Thursday, July 20.
The DND, according to Teodoro, need not to coordinate with Duterte about his personal commitments as he is already a private citizen.
“Hindi namin trabaho makipagcoordinate kay former President Duterte. Ang aming ano is credible defense posture at private citizen si Presidente Duterte. Hindi namin minamanmanan yung ano (It is not our job to coordinate with former President Duterte. Our business is about establishing a credible defense posture and President Duterte is a private citizen now. We are not monitoring his [activities]),” Teodoro said.
According to reports, Duterte’s meeting with Xi coincided with his attendance during the inauguration of a school building in Fuzhou province that was named after her mother, Soledad Roa Duterte.
But there is a mounting call for Duterte to disclose the details of his meeting with the Chinese leader.
In fact, no less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he was hoping that the discussion by Duterte and Xi included China’s activities in the West Philippine Sea where Sino militia vessels were reported to have swarmed Philippine-claimed territories while its coast guard ships performed dangerous maneuvers on Philippine Coast Guard vessels.
Marcos has taken steps towards strengthening the country’s bilateral relationship with traditional ally United States after he took over from Duterte, who had favored Chinese ties.
For the Defense chief, the government must continue to address the WPS issue “responsibly” and in a “calculated” manner.
“We should do everything within our power to assert our rights in the West Philippine Sea responsibly, and in a calculated and sustainable and not in a kneejerk manner,” Teodoro said.