Teodoro says China's latest warning puts all Filipinos at risk
Published Aug 15, 2026 02:36 pm
At A Glance
- Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. called Beijing's warning that Filipinos could "bear the brunt" of worsening ties an indiscriminate threat of retaliation against Filipinos amid reports that more than 100 Filipinos were arrested in Beijing over alleged immigration violations.
- Teodoro defended the May raid in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental where 69 Chinese nationals were arrested over alleged illegal work and other possible violations. Authorities also detected radioactive materials in scrap metals used at the facility.
- Teodoro cited a Senate hearing where PAOCC Executive Director Benjamin Acorda Jr. alleged that Chinese Embassy officials threatened to have Filipino workers arrested in China if the 69 Chinese nationals were not released. Beijing has denied using its immigration action against Filipinos to pressure Manila.
Flags of the Philippines (left), China (Unsplash)
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Saturday, Aug. 15, said China’s latest warning that Filipinos could “bear the brunt” of strained ties between the two countries amounted to a threat of retaliation against the broader Philippine population.
Teodoro said the warning was not directed only at him as China was supposedly threatening ordinary Filipinos because the statement referred broadly to the Filipino people who could suffer the consequences of his continued criticism of Beijing.
“The latest Chinese Foreign Ministry statement against me is a classic squid tactic—disinformation through avoidance. The Filipino people will not fall for this,” Teodoro said.
“Threatening that they will ‘bear the brunt’ is an indiscriminate threat to retaliate against all Filipinos, which is, plain and simple, extortion and blackmail beyond doubt,” he added.
The defense chief made the statement as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun warned that Filipinos would “bear the brunt” of worsening ties between Manila and Beijing over Teodoro’s continued criticism of the latter.
Last Aug. 10, China announced it had arrested more than 100 Filipinos in Beijing for allegedly working illegally or overstaying.
This led Teodoro to issue a statement condemning the operation and accusing Beijing of using its immigration action against Filipinos to pressure the Philippines over its law enforcement operations against Chinese nationals.
Misamis Oriental raid
The defense chief was referring to a raid at a steel manufacturing facility in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental back in May where authorities arrested 69 Chinese nationals and one Filipino.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said the Chinese nationals were allegedly working illegally at the facility. Authorities also looked into possible violations of immigration, labor and environmental laws.
The operation drew further scrutiny after the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) detected radioactive materials in imported scrap metals used at the plant. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) later ordered the facility shut down.
‘Avoiding questions’
Teodoro accused the Chinese Foreign Ministry of avoiding two key questions surrounding the latest dispute: whether Chinese nationals arrested in the Philippines were involved in illegal activities and whether Chinese embassy officials intervened in Philippine law enforcement operations.
“The Chinese Foreign Ministry continues to evade the crucial issue. The first question is: were these individuals involved in illegal activities?” he asked.
“The plain and simple answer is yes—unless Chinese officials consider the regurgitation of substandard, radioactively tainted steel, the destruction of the environment by dumping untreated, polluted water into rivers, and the release of untreated toxic fumes to be legitimate practices. This is backed by indisputable and legally admissible evidence gathered by law enforcement authorities through valid search warrants issued by Philippine courts,” he added.
The second issue raised by Teodoro concerned the alleged involvement of Chinese Embassy officials in Manila’s law enforcement proceedings.
“The second question is: did embassy officials actively intervene in local law enforcement processes and threaten retaliation against Filipinos? The answer, as revealed in a Senate hearing, is yes,” he said.
The allegation surfaced during a Senate hearing on Aug. 13 when Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) Executive Director Benjamin Acorda Jr. said Chinese Embassy officials allegedly threatened to have Filipino workers arrested in China if the Philippines did not release the 69 Chinese nationals arrested in the Misamis Oriental raid.
Acorda said the threat was conveyed after Chinese Embassy officials visited his office although he did not identify the official who allegedly made the threat or specify when it was issued.
Beijing had denied that the action was aimed at pressuring Manila over its law enforcement operations against Chinese nationals.
Guo said that China’s immigration authorities acted according to Chinese law and protected the rights and interests of the foreign nationals concerned. He also said the measures were not directed at any particular country.
Guo accused Teodoro of personally leading Philippine forces in the arrest and detention of Chinese nationals who were lawfully working in the Philippines. He warned that Teodoro’s continued criticism of China could damage bilateral relations and that the Filipino people would ultimately “bear the brunt.”