Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro hit back at the Chinese Embassy in Manila for allegedly defending those behind the operation of a steel manufacturing company raided over alleged substandard products and hazardous workplace.

Teodoro said the statement issued by the Chinese Embassy in Manila that comes with allegations against those that conducted the raid only showed that the latter is now serving as the public relations firm of those involved.

“From their public statements in the past days it is obvious that they are covering up for these people. The public is aware of their role which is now obvious,” Teodoro said. 

Teodoro's statement was in response to the statement issued by the Chinese Embassy in Manila which alleged a selective implementation of the law in the raid conducted on the Sanjia Steel Corporation in Misamis Oriental.

“If Sanjia Steel Corp. allegedly violated environmental or other laws, why were the workers arrested instead of those in charge? Why were only the workers, and Chinese workers in particular arrested, while more than 300 Filipino workers were released on the spot? After all, Chinese and Filipino employees worked side by side every day,” the China Embassy statement posted on social media read.

“How can you determine, before any trial or investigation has taken place, that the Filipino workers had done nothing wrong while the 70 Chinese workers were the ones at fault? Is nationality being used as the basis for distinguishing between people and determining guilt? Are Filipinos presumed innocent while Chinese are presumed guilty? Isn’t that precisely selective and targeted law enforcement?,” it added.

Teodoro said such statements of an embassy in the country defending alleged wrongdoings should be condemned.

Teodoro's statement was backed by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) which is one of the agencies at the forefront of conducting operations against steel companies with substandard products and hazardous workplaces.

In a separate statement, PAOCC said what the Chinese Embassy in Manila did in posting a statement against legitimate law enforcement clearly disregards diplomatic decorum and the sovereign laws of the Philippines.

“As diplomatic representatives hosted by our nation, lecturing host authorities on lawful domestic operations is inappropriate. We challenge the Embassy to allow the same open public dialogue on Chinese social media platforms so that the Chinese people can be informed of the full, transparent facts,” the PAOCC statement read.

PAOCC explained that the operation against Sanjia Steel operation was an inter-agency law-enforcement operation and not an action against any nationality.

It said the participation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the operation is limited to providing security and logistical support and should not be misconstrued as a military operation against Chinese workers.

“Arrest or investigation does not mean guilt, and no person, Filipino or foreign, is presumed guilty simply because of citizenship. Any determination on charges, detention, or release remains subject to the proper legal process,” PAOCC said.

“It is therefore inaccurate to characterize the operation as selective enforcement against Chinese nationals. For PAOCC and its partner agencies, this is purely a matter of law enforcement. No nationality is being targeted. The rule of law, individual rights, and due process remain paramount at all times,” it added.