Philippine Defense Chief Addresses South China Sea Disputes at Shangri-La Dialogue

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. told defense ministers and military officials at the Shangri-La Dialogue that the Philippines would act as both a strategic sentinel and a guardian of freedom of the seas. ” Rappler reported that his remarks drew more discussion among delegates than nearly any other speech across the six plenary sessions.

The defense secretary framed the Philippines as a convergence point for a fragmented world. He tied this role to four elements: the country’s resolve to uphold its rights under international law, its moral standing because it grounds claims in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award, its commitment to ASEAN centrality while chairing the bloc in 2026, and ongoing military modernization that began after the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff.

Teodoro described the 2016 Arbitral Award, which invalidated China’s historical claims to most of the South China Sea, as central to Manila’s position.

Philippine military chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said at a breakout session that “like-minded nations” means support for the award. Rappler noted that the number of countries backing the ruling has increased since the Philippines began highlighting China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea in 2023.

The speech came as the Philippine military confirmed new structures at Scarborough Shoal, where China has controlled access since the 2012 standoff. Officials told Rappler the structures appeared new rather than remnants of earlier Philippine installations from the early 2000s. Teodoro also warned that negotiations with China have not resolved disputes.

“For the PRC, therefore, in the Philippine experience, negotiations are therefore not a path to conflict resolution but a means of gaining advantage,” he said. The presentation built on earlier statements by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. In 2024, Marcos told the Australian Parliament that the Philippines was the frontline country upholding international law in Asia.