Philippine Defense Chief Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Friday said he would not be concerned if China bars him from entering its territory, similar to the reported travel ban imposed on former senator Francis Tolentino.

“Wala naman akong pakialam kung gawin nila sa akin 'yun (I don’t really care if they do that to me),” Teodoro recently told reporters at Camp Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Teodoro emphasized that the decision to allow or deny entry to foreign nationals is the prerogative of any sovereign country, but also questioned China’s apparent sensitivity to criticism.

“You know what? It’s the prerogative of any country — without explanation — to allow or deny any foreign national entry into its territory. Nasa sa kanila yun diba (That’s their call),” Teodoro said.

“Ngayon kung tatanungin ko naman yung reaksyon based on perception ng Pilipino, e gumagawa lang ng tama si Senator Tolentino, ganito gagawin nila. So ibig sabihin may tinatago talaga sila, nasasaktan sila dahil natukbok ang mga maling gawain nila (But if we consider this from the perspective of Filipinos, Senator Tolentino was simply doing the right thing. If this is how China reacts, it suggests they have something to hide. They're hurt because their wrongdoing is being exposed),” he added.

Teodoro noted that Tolentino’s investigation into Chinese activities in the Philippines uncovered questionable practices, including the presence of “keyboard warriors” and other forms of online disinformation tied to Chinese interests.

“Assuming pupunta si Senator Tolentino doon, nasa tamang paraan. Hindi katulad nila na maraming undocumented dito na taliwas ang pasok (Assuming Senator Tolentino was going to China for legitimate purposes, it would have been through proper channels. Unlike them, who have many undocumented nationals entering our country in violation of our laws),” he added.

“Kitang-kita doon sa kontrata keyboard warriors yung nilalabas. Pero ganun pa man e kahit na anong PR na gawin nila wala pa ring maniniwalang Pilipino sa kanila kasi yung iba ang ginagawa, iba ang salita. At tayo marami tayong naa-uncover na mga illegal na practice nila (Their contracts and schemes are being exposed, yet no matter how much PR they do, the Filipino people won’t be fooled. Their words don’t match their actions. We continue to uncover more and more illegal activities tied to them),” he pressed on.

The defense chief also took a swipe at China’s sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea, including its controversial nine-dash line.

“The most incredible ay yung nine-dash line nila na ari-arian daw nila yan magmula noong panahon pa bago pa si, bago pa daw si Mahoma. Sino ba naman maniniwala doon? (The most incredible thing is their so-called nine-dash line, they claim ownership dating back to before the time of Mahoma. Who would believe that?)” Teodoro said.

“Tapos pinapangalanan nila na yung mga Jao-Jao na yan, Ren’ ai Jao pangalan ko rin na iba yung kanilang ano di ganun din, patas din. ganun din yun e, walang basehan naman yung kanila (And now they’re renaming features like Ren’ai Jao, as if that gives them legitimacy. It’s baseless. Just like they accuse others of changing names or narratives, they’re doing the same, with no legal foundation),” he further lamented.

Earlier this week, China barred Tolentino from entering its territories due to his “egregious conduct on China-related issues.”

Tolentino chaired a special committee on maritime and admiralty zones in the Senate. He authored twin measures — the Philippine Maritime Zones Act (Republic Act 12064) and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act (RA 12065) — affirming the Philippines' maritime rights.

These measures were signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on 8 November 2024, marking a significant step in strengthening national sovereignty.

The enactment of the Philippine Maritime Zones Law pushed for clearer policies on the country’s maritime boundaries, especially in the disputed West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The Archipelagic Sea Lanes Law declares the country’s maritime zones under the standards set by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), designating Philippine archipelagic sea lanes, which would create routes over the country’s waters and airspace.