The latest statement by the Chinese Embassy on Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. is inflammatory, the Philippine Special Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said on Monday.

Trinidad, in a statement sent to Daily Tribune, said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) stands firmly behind Teodoro and “categorically rejects the recent inflammatory statements by the Chinese Embassy on the West Philippine Sea and the AFP support for the Sanjia steel plant law enforcement operation.

“These attempts to personalize, deflect, and mischaracterize legitimate national security enforcement operations within our sovereign territory are part of narrative distortion or foreign malign influence,” Trinidad explained.

“Regarding the law enforcement operation at the Philippine Sanjia Steel facility within the PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate in Misamis Oriental, the AFP clarifies that military involvement was strictly confined to providing necessary security and logistical support to lead civilian law enforcement agencies,” the WPS spokesperson further explained.

Warrants used valid

He added that the operation was conducted under valid warrants addressing environmental hazards, public safety risks and labor violations — not targeted actions against any nationality.

“The enforcement of Philippine laws within Philippine jurisdiction is an absolute exercise of sovereign authority and is non-negotiable. Foreign diplomatic missions are expected to respect local judicial processes rather than act as publicists for unlawful activities of their nationals,” Trinidad emphasized.

“Furthermore, in the West Philippine Sea, the AFP’s posture remains rooted in international law, primarily the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the binding 2016 Arbitral Award. The source of tension in the region is not the law-abiding defensive posture of the Philippines, but the continued illegal presence, coercive and aggressive conduct and the deceptive messaging of the Chinese Communist Party,” he stressed.