Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte pushed back against Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s call for government officials perceived as siding with China to step down, arguing that elected officials draw their mandate from voters and cannot be forced out over their views.
Duterte said officials accused of siding with China should not be asked to resign, insisting that any actual violation of law should be settled through proper legal channels rather than through public demands for resignation.
“At bakit kailangang gawing demonyo ang China? Hindi lang naman China ang bansang may inaangking bahagi ng West Philippine Sea,” Duterte said, questioning why China alone was being singled out when other countries also claim portions of the disputed waters.
He directed a pointed remark at the defense chief, saying, “Alam mo, Gibo, ang trabaho ng Defense Secretary ay hindi ang magbigay ng loyalty exam sa mga halal na opisyal.” According to Duterte, patriotism should not be measured by a person’s stance on the West Philippine Sea issue, and China should not be demonized.
The exchange stems from remarks Teodoro made at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum on July 29, where he said elected officials who side with China on the West Philippine Sea should consider resigning if they cannot support the country’s official position. Teodoro argued that officials are bound by their oath to uphold the Constitution and existing laws, citing the Baselines Act and Administrative Order No. 29, which formally named the West Philippine Sea, as reported by Philstar.
In a clarification issued Sunday, August 3, Teodoro said his statement was anchored in the legal obligations of public officials rather than their personal beliefs, according to the Manila Bulletin. “One cannot ask a public official to resign just because of a belief. There must be a violation of a law or a regulation,” he said, adding that officials who disagree with the country’s West Philippine Sea policy should challenge it before the courts rather than ignore it.
The back-and-forth is the latest flashpoint between the Marcos administration’s defense establishment and the Duterte political camp, whose patriarch, former President Rodrigo Duterte, pursued warmer ties with Beijing during his term and is now detained at The Hague in connection with his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
