Philippines not out to claim its own 'nine-dash line', says Teodoro

Manila Bulletin

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. says the country simply wants to create a "credible deterrent posture" in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), and has no designs of arbitrarily expanding its jurisdiction.   Teodoro had this to say during the House Committee on Appropriations' deliberation on the agency’s proposed 2025 budget.   READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/29/philippines-not-out-to-claim-its-own-nine-dash-line-says-teodoro  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00I am just clarifying, Mr. Chair, because what we don't want, if it will serve to heighten

00:06the risk of the military confrontation with the Philippines, potentially becoming a pawn

00:11in the power struggle of the US and China, we also don't want that, or in the adversaries

00:16of the US.

00:17If what you are saying about interoperable measures will threaten more, we don't want

00:24that.

00:25On the part of the Makabayan bloc, we would like the solution to the marital disputes

00:33should be grounded in diplomacy and peaceful negotiations.

00:36I know it is difficult, as you are saying, Secretary, Mr. Chair, but the military alliances

00:44that provoke aggression, we also don't want that, Mr. Chair.

00:48Well noted, Madam Chair.

01:04I think that is the same concern.

01:06However, we have to point out that the aggressor here is only one actor.

01:11That's why I said China is the greatest disruptor of peace in the West Philippine Sea.

01:18They have illegally reclaimed areas.

01:20They are claiming areas which is well beyond their jurisdiction.

01:25For example, the Sabina Shoal, which is only 60 nautical miles away from Palawan.

01:33the world domination under a new model of international governance, which is a guise

02:01for their hegemony, their dynastic and imperialistic politics.

02:06We have no intention of claiming our own nine-dash line in the South China Sea.

02:20It's far from it.

02:22What we want is our 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone, the other areas where we have

02:29jurisdiction to be exclusively for the benefit of our citizens, the way we want to do it,

02:40the way the Congress wants to do it without the pressure of China dictating or bear-hugging

02:46us to deal with them solely.

02:49That's all we want.

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