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'Mouthpiece ng China?' Teodoro hits critics of Typhon missile drill
Philippines
National
'Mouthpiece ng China?' Teodoro hits critics of Typhon missile drill
'Mouthpiece ng China?' Teodoro hits critics of Typhon missile drill
Published May 6, 2026 03:44 pm
The Typhon mid-range capability launcher arrives in Northern Luzon,in April 2024. (Photo: Capt. Ryan DeBooy/US Army)
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Tuesday night, May 5, lambasted groups criticizing the recent deployment and firing of the United States Typhon missile system in Tacloban.
Teodoro suggested that those viewing the military exercises as a mere “playground” lack the maturity to advocate for national security, and may be acting as “mouthpieces” or aligning with interests that run counter to the country’s national security and development goals.
“If they view our defense exercises and our resilience exercises as playgrounds, I do not really see the maturity for them to advocate such,” Teodoro told reporters during an ambush interview in Makati City.
“If they do not realize the purpose, then they are either mouthpieces of something else or allies of people whose interests are contrary to our Philippine security interests and for the development and resilience of our exclusive economic zone,” he added.
The defense chief held a ministerial meeting with Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro which focused on regional security and the strengthening of the “convergent” alliance between the Philippines, Japan, and the U.S. amid rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Combat troops from the three nations are jointly exercising in the Balikatan drills, which are currently being held in different parts of the country until May 8.
As part of the Balikatan, the US military conducted a first-ever live-fire test of the Typhon Mid-Range Capability (MRC) system in the Philippines, launching a Tomahawk cruise missile from Tacloban City on Tuesday midnight.
The missile traveled about 530 kilometers and hit a designated impact area in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija at around 1:00 a.m.
The deployment of the Typhon system has drawn sharp rebukes from various activist groups, which claimed the military is turning local Filipino communities into a “playground” for foreign powers.
Left-leaning organization Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) denounced the Typhon missile launch and called for protests against increased US military presence in the country.
Further, it accused President Marcos Jr. of allowing the country to become a “playground” and staging ground for US military activities, despite assurances that the Philippines would not be drawn into foreign conflicts.
When asked about the safety of firing missiles within Philippine territory, the defense chief assured the public of strict protocols, contrasting the local operations with the actions of other regional powers.
“If ever a missile is fired, we make sure that there is no damage to anyone, unlike other countries that keep on launching missiles and landing elsewhere,” Teodoro said.
He specifically pointed to rocket debris often found in the province of Palawan.
“The most prevalent ones that land in Palawan are, you know,” he noted, hinting at previous incidents involving Chinese rocket boosters.