DEFENSE Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said they are closely looking into the remark of Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan, which they believe is not just a slip of the tongue.
In a radio interview on Friday, October 16, 2026, Teodoro said they consider the Chinese official’s statement as a threat.
“Banta ’yun eh. ’Yun ang tunay na laman ng statement na ’yan. Tinatakot tayo,” he said.
Jing earlier said China, if it wants to, can use force to "easily win" maritime disputes with the Philippines.
However, he said his country will not resort to such measures because they are a peace-loving country.
Teodoro also noted Jing’s personal statements against him.
“Nakadireksyon na sa aking personal, eh, di ba. Hindi na policy eh,” he said.
In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) called out Jing for his poor choice of words that conveys a "thinly veiled threat" of the use of force, further straining the relationship between the two countries.
In response, the Chinese Embassy accused the DFA of selective quotation and overinterpretation, which demonstrates that there is still a long way to go in fostering effective communication and dialogue between China and the Philippines.
“Diplomacy must be honest and straightforward in order to reduce misunderstandings and prevent misjudgments. Ultimately, the fundamental purpose of diplomacy is to resolve differences and disputes and to avoid conflict or even war,” it said.
“China-Philippines relations are currently at an extremely sensitive stage. Certain individuals are actively seeking to undermine normal exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. We urge the DFA to play a more responsible role in preventing such actions, thereby ensuring that China-Philippines relations are not pushed into a dangerous and uncertain situation,” it added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)