Teodoro's remarks on China 'reflect the voice of a free nation' – DND

The Department of National Defense (DND) stood firmly behind Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Friday night, Sept. 5, after the Chinese Embassy in Manila accused him of making "anti-China" remarks that it considered as "arrogant" and "ignorant of history.

- By MARTIN SADONGDONG and RAYMUND ANTOPNIO

Defense Spokesperson Asst. Sec. Arsenio Andolong said Teodoro's views were echoed by a majority of Filipinos as these supposedly reflect the voice of a free nation that values sovereignty, independence, and human rights.

"The Secretary views the world with open eyes and is blessed to be in a country which cherishes freedom of speech, thought, and expression. These hard-won freedoms are fruits of a desire of the Filipino people for their sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity," he said.

He stressed that China's narratives "stem from an opaque and autocratic system" that denies freedoms to its own people while using selective history to advance its interests at the expense of smaller nations.