Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan presides over a Senate hearing on February 1, 2018. Joseph Vidal, Senate PRIB/file

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ABS-CBN News

MANILA — China&#x27;s sanctions on Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. are an insult to the Philippines and an &quot;escalation&quot; in its coercion on the issue of the West Philippine Sea, Sen. Francis Pangilinan said Saturday.Pangilinan also called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to protest the sanctions, which include banning Teodoro and his family from entering China, Hong Kong and Macau.&quot;By imposing sanctions on the Philippine Secretary of National Defense, China is striking at the sovereign decisions of the Republic of the Philippines,&quot; he said, adding Teodoro&#x27;s statements reflect Philippine policy.&quot;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,&quot; Pangilinan also said.He also called the sanctions a &quot;clear escalation&quot; by China against the Philippines, which he said has &quot;has chosen legal remedies, including the legally binding 2016 arbitral award, and transparent, rules-based engagement instead of brinkmanship.&quot;Chinese coast guard and navy ships have been documented harassing Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea. Philippine authorities have also expressed concern over a &quot;floating structure&quot; seen near Bajo de Masinloc, a traditional fishing ground in the Philippines&#x27; exclusive economic zone and that is under Beijing&#x27;s control.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/10/pcg-gives-details-on-chinese-floating-structure-seen-near-bajo-de-masinloc-1301">PCG gives details on Chinese &#x27;floating structure&#x27; seen near Bajo de Masinloc </a></div>China&#x27;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Teodoro had &quot;repeatedly made irresponsible remarks on China, which undermines China’s legitimate interests and sabotages China-Philippines relations&quot; and that the sanctions are meant to &quot;uphold China’s sovereignty, security and development interests.&quot;Pangilinan said the DFA, which has said it disagrees with the sanctions but acknowledged China&#x27;s right to impose them,  should file a formal protest.&quot;By sanctioning a sitting Cabinet member for defending an arbitral ruling and asserting rights guaranteed under international law, China diminishes its own standing in the community of nations,&quot; he also said.<div> </div><div> DE LIMA: GOVERNMENT CANNOT IGNORE SANCTIONS</div>Mamamayang Liberal Party-List Rep. Leila De Lima on Friday said the government must see the sanctions against Teodoro &quot;as nothing less than a national issue&quot; as she called for stiffer measures on China&#x27;s actions related to the West Philippine Sea.She said that Liberal Party and WPS bloc lawmakers at the House had filed a resolution for the executive branch to &quot;take a bolder diplomatic stance&quot; on China, including &quot;declaring persona non grata any embassy spokesperson or other foreign diplomat engaged in improper conduct.&quot;That resolution was ignored, she said.&quot;Ngayon, China pa ang may ganang pagbawalan ang ating opisyal na makapasok sa kanila.&quot;(Now China has the gall to ban our official from their territories.)

China's sanctions on Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. are an insult to the Philippines and an "escalation" in its coercion on the issue of the West Philippine Sea, Sen. Francis Pangilinan said Saturday.

China's sanctions on Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. are an insult to the Philippines and an "escalation" in its coercion on the issue of the West Philippine Sea, Sen. Francis Pangilinan said Saturday.

Pangilinan calls China's sanctions on Teodoro an insult to the Philippines

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Pangilinan calls China's sanctions on Teodoro an insult to the Philippines

ABS-CBN News

Published June 13, 2026 11:42 AM PHT

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Francis Pangilinan

Gilberto Teodoro Jr.

Leila De Lima

China

West Philippine Sea

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