The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has declined to comment further on the sanctions imposed by the Chinese government against Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and his family, even as some individuals and groups have condemned Beijing’s move.

“Very briefly, I would reiterate what the secretary has already said about that. So I will put it there,” DFA Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs and spokesperson for ASEAN 2026, Dominic Xavier Imperial, told Daily Tribune in a Palace press briefing on Monday.

Last week, the DFA called the sanctions an “unfriendly act that further complicates our bilateral relations.”

Teodoro had said he was unfazed by the sanctions barring him from China, Hong Kong and Macao, adding, “That is truly what they do to those who speak the truth against their deception.” 

He vowed to continue performing his duties in defense of the nation.

Senator Francis Pangilinan also slammed China, saying that sanctioning the Philippine secretary of national defense was striking at the sovereign decisions of the Republic of the Philippines.

“As a Cabinet official and the President’s alter ego on defense and security, Secretary Teodoro articulates and implements national policy. Punishing him and his family for doing so is a direct affront not only to him, but to the President, the Philippine state, and our constitutional order,” Pangilinan said.

He noted that the sanction marked a clear escalation in China’s pattern of coercion and intimidation against a smaller neighbor that, despite repeated provocations, has consistently responded with diplomacy, restraint, and adherence to the rule of law.