Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Friday he wouldn’t be bothered if China barred him from entering its territory, following reports of a similar travel ban imposed on former senator Francis Tolentino.

“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. “That’s up to them, right?” Teodoro said.

“Now, if I were to ask about the reaction based on the Filipino people’s perception, it’s just that Senator Tolentino is doing the right thing — yet this is how they respond. So it means they’re really hiding something; they’re hurt because their wrongdoings are 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 Senator Tolentino goes there, it will be done the right way — unlike them, who have many undocumented entries that go against proper procedures,” he added. 

“You can clearly see it in the contract — they’re just putting out what keyboard warriors are saying. But no matter how much PR they do, Filipinos still won’t believe them because their actions don’t match their words. And we’ve been uncovering a lot of their illegal practices,” 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 unbelievable is their nine-dash line claim — saying it’s been their territory since before the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Who would even believe that?” Teodoro said. 

“And then they start naming those Jao-Jao things, like Ren’ai Jao — they’re just giving names too but with a different spin. It’s the same thing — just as baseless as ours if you think about it,” 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 two key laws — the Philippine Maritime Zones Act (RA 12064) and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act (RA 12065) — which affirm 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.  

The Archipelagic Sea Lanes Law defines the country’s maritime zones in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, designating sea lanes that establish official routes through Philippine waters and airspace.