DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the sanctions imposed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) against him and his family stemmed from his continued opposition to what he described as China's illegal activities in the Philippines and his outspoken stance on the West Philippine Sea issue.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, June 13, 2026, Teodoro said he and his family had been barred from entering Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Macau after being sanctioned by the Chinese government.
“Ako at ang aking pamilya ay pinatawan ng sanctions ng Communist Party of China dahil daw sa erroneous statements na aking sinabi tungkol sa kanila. Ako ay naglahad lamang ng katotohanan tungkol sa West Philippine Sea at tungkol sa mga illegal na gawain nila dito sa Pilipinas,” Teodoro said.
(My family and I were sanctioned by the Communist Party of China because of what they claimed were erroneous statements I made about them. I merely spoke the truth about the West Philippine Sea and about their illegal activities here in the Philippines.)
The Defense chief maintained that the sanctions would not deter him from performing his duties, particularly in supporting government efforts to address alleged illegal activities linked to Chinese nationals operating in the country.
Teodoro cited the dismantling of the scam hub in Bamban, which he described as a front operation that involved dismissed mayor Alice Guo, as well as the recent closure of Sanjia Steel Corp., which he accused of producing substandard steel products.
He alleged that senior officials from the Chinese Embassy had intervened in efforts to shield the company from scrutiny.
“Dito sa Sanjia personal na nanghimasok diumano ang mga matataas na opisyal ng Chinese Embassy para mapagtakpan ang talamak na illegal na ginagawa dito,” he said.
(In the case of Sanjia, high-ranking officials of the Chinese Embassy allegedly intervened personally to cover up the widespread illegal activities being carried out here.)
Teodoro, who earlier visited the raided steel warehouse in Misamis Oriental, linked the company to businessman Tony Yang, whom he identified as the brother of Michael Yang.
Tony Yang earlier admitted before a Senate inquiry that his Philippine citizenship documents were fake.
The Defense secretary stressed that government actions against alleged illegal activities should not be interpreted as targeting Chinese nationals.
“Hindi ito targeting ng Chinese nationals kundi pagsugpo ng kabalbalan na nagpapahina ng ating bansa,” he said.
(This is not about targeting Chinese nationals, but about putting an end to wrongdoing that is weakening our country.)
Teodoro likewise defended his remarks regarding the West Philippine Sea, saying they are based on facts and consistent with international law, particularly the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
He said several countries and international partners share similar positions on maritime issues, while asserting that Beijing continues to pursue its claims within the so-called “nine-dash line,” which he described as illegal.
“Gusto ko din naman na maganda sana ang defense relations natin sa China pero hindi maaari dahil sinusubukan nilang sakupin ang nasa loob ng illegal na 9 dash line. Katrayduran kung sumangayon tayo dito,” he said.
(I would also like our defense relations with China to be good, but that is not possible because they are trying to claim areas within the illegal nine-dash line. It would be an act of betrayal if we agreed to this.)
Despite the sanctions, Teodoro said he remains committed to strengthening the country’s defense posture and expanding security partnerships with allied nations.
“Makakaasa po kayo na lalo ko pang itutuloy ang tungkulin ko, at maliwanag ang strategy ng pagpapalakas ng ating national defense kabilang na rin ang pagpapatibay ng mga alyansa ng ating bansa sa mga kaalyado natin,” he added.
(You can expect that I will continue to carry out my duties, and that the strategy for strengthening our national defense is clear, including reinforcing our country’s alliances with our partners and allies.) (TPM/SunStar Philippines)