Teodoro accuses China of 'squid tactic' over alleged threat to Filipinos

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Saturday slammed the latest remarks by China’s Foreign Ministry against him, calling them a “squid tactic.”

On Thursday, Teodoro condemned China’s actions against more than 100 Filipinos suspected of illegally working or living in China, describing them as “plain and simple extortion and blackmail.”

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, “Foreign nationals in China should abide by Chinese laws and regulations. China’s immigration authorities perform their duty in accordance with the law and protect the lawful rights and interests of the personnel concerned. The actions do not target any specific country.”

“It’s learned that it was exactly this defense secretary who personally led the armed forces to seize and detain Chinese nationals lawfully working in the Philippines. This person’s consistent attacks and smears against China harm not only bilateral relations. It is the interests of the Philippines and all its people that will bear the brunt,” Guo added.

In a statement on Saturday, Teodoro maintained that the activities of the Chinese nationals arrested at a steel plant in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, in May were illegal.

Teodoro said these activities included the regurgitation of substandard, radioactively contaminated steel; the dumping of untreated, polluted water into rivers; and the release of untreated toxic fumes.

He added that these allegations were supported by “indisputable and legally admissible evidence” gathered by law enforcement authorities through valid search warrants issued by Philippine courts.

“The latest Chinese Foreign Ministry statement against me is a classic squid tactic—disinformation through avoidance,” Teodoro said.

“The Filipino people will not fall for this. Threatening that they will ‘bear the brunt’ is an indiscriminate threat to retaliate against all Filipinos, which is, plain and simple, extortion and blackmail beyond doubt!” he added.

Teodoro also maintained that Chinese Embassy officials actively intervened in local law enforcement processes and threatened retaliation against Filipinos, as revealed during a Senate hearing.

Twenty-one individuals, including 10 Chinese nationals, were arrested at a factory in Davao City after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) discovered that the facility was allegedly selling and distributing substandard and radioactive steel.

Following the arrest of the Chinese workers, representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Manila reportedly told the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission that Filipinos in China would be arrested if the Chinese workers arrested at the steel plant in Misamis Oriental were not released.

GMA News Online had sought comment from the Chinese Embassy on Teodoro’s latest remarks. — VBL, GMA News