Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has praised Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. for his forceful defense of Philippine sovereignty and international law after a tense exchange with Chinese representatives at a security forum in Seoul.
Lacson said Teodoro’s response demonstrated what the Philippines could contribute on the international stage, particularly when defending the country’s position on the West Philippine Sea.
In remarks reported by Bombo Radyo, Lacson went even further, raising the possibility of a future “President Gilbert Teodoro” and suggesting that Teodoro’s intelligence and leadership could put him in the national spotlight.
The comments came days after Teodoro made headlines at the Seoul Defense Dialogue in South Korea, where he publicly challenged a note delivered to him while he was answering a question about maritime security and China’s actions in the South China Sea.
Teodoro confronts China’s position on 2016 arbitration ruling
The incident happened on September 8 during the Seoul Defense Dialogue, a regional security forum hosted by South Korea.
While Teodoro was discussing maritime challenges and the importance of international law, a forum staff member handed him a note that organizers later said had come from a Chinese military attaché at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul.
The handwritten note reiterated Beijing’s long-standing rejection of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling.
China argued that the arbitration violated fundamental principles of international law and described the award as “illegal, null and void,” while maintaining that it had no binding force.
Teodoro read portions of the note aloud and immediately challenged its assertions.
When the note said China did not recognize the arbitration ruling, Teodoro responded with a pointed line that quickly went viral:
“Of course, because you lost.”
He also defended the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, as the legal framework underpinning the Philippines’ maritime position.
‘Mahiya naman kayo nang kaunti’
Teodoro then questioned why the message had been delivered while he was answering a question on the forum floor.
He said the move showed disrespect not only for international law but also for South Korea, which hosted the event, and the other participants.
Teodoro called for “basic decency and behavior,” before switching to Filipino and telling the Chinese side:
“Maging disente lang kayo nang konti. Mahiya naman kayo nang konti.”
The moment drew applause and quickly spread online, turning the exchange into one of the most widely discussed moments from the Seoul forum. Yonhap reported that the note came from a Chinese military attaché, who passed it to a forum staff member for delivery to Teodoro.
The Philippine National Defense Department also released footage of the exchange, further amplifying the incident online.
Lacson sees bigger significance in Teodoro’s response
For Lacson, however, the episode was more than a viral diplomatic confrontation.
He praised Teodoro for articulating the Philippine position on sovereignty and international law before an international audience.
Lacson’s remarks echoed broader praise for Teodoro’s performance at the forum, where the defense chief repeatedly emphasized that the Philippines would not compromise its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
The senator also floated the prospect of a “President Gilbert Teodoro,” saying that if Teodoro eventually became president, the country would have an exceptionally intelligent leader — while posing the question of why such a country could remain poor or underdeveloped.
The comment effectively pushed the discussion beyond the immediate China controversy and into the realm of national leadership and presidential politics.
China pushes back against Teodoro
Beijing, meanwhile, did not remain silent.
China’s Foreign Ministry criticized Teodoro’s public response and accused the Philippines of provoking tensions.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing’s position on the South China Sea arbitration had remained consistent and urged the Philippine side to stop what China described as “provocations and theatrics.”
The dispute centers on the 2016 arbitral ruling, which rejected the legal basis for China’s expansive historic-rights claims in the South China Sea beyond the maritime entitlements allowed under UNCLOS.
China has consistently rejected the ruling, while the Philippines continues to regard it as a key legal basis for its maritime rights.
Teodoro says China remains a major security challenge
The Seoul confrontation came amid broader warnings from Teodoro about China’s growing influence and military pressure in the region.
In an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the Seoul Defense Dialogue, Teodoro warned that Beijing could exploit perceived gaps in the Indo-Pacific security environment, particularly following reductions in some US-South Korean military exercises.
He stressed, however, that there had been no reduction in US-Philippine military cooperation and that security cooperation between Manila and its partners continued to expand.
A day after the viral exchange, Teodoro also identified China as the Philippines’ most challenging security threat in an interview with Korea JoongAng Daily, while calling for stronger defense cooperation with South Korea.
The latest developments underline how the West Philippine Sea dispute remains a central issue in Philippine foreign and defense policy — and why Teodoro’s unusually direct response in Seoul has resonated strongly among Philippine lawmakers and the public.
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