Philippines calls for increased international backing in West Philippine Sea dispute

MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. is asking the international community for more support as the Philippines continues to promote a rules-based international order in the West Philippine Sea.

Speaking before representatives of 29 nations at the ongoing 35th Military Law Operations (MILOPS) annual conference hosted by the United States Indo-Pacific Command in Manila, Teodoro asserted that the country needs the backing to stop China’s acts of violating and ignoring international law.

“Please help the Philippines be, as (US) Ambassador (MaryKay) Carlson said, ‘a global leader in enforcing and upholding rules-based international order, norms of international law’ and do not let the Philippines be a victim for standing up to international law,” he said.

He emphasized that the Philippines is not merely upholding its own sovereignty and sovereign rights, but is a test case for the agreed-upon interpretations of the civilized world of what international law is, particularly the law of the sea.

“I’d like to carry on from the statement of Ambassador Carlson, that the venue of this conference was both deliberate and significant. Indeed, the Philippines is at the forefront of upholding international law in this side of the world,” the defense chief added, reiterating the US envoy’s statement that the Philippines plays a central role in the Indo-Pacific region.

Teodoro noted that nations should adhere to the tenets of international law, especially the United Nations Charter, amid regional security challenges.

“Let’s go back to the foundation that is Article 4 of the UN Charter, which does not allow any state to use force or threaten, even the word ‘threaten to use force,’ in asserting its territorial claims. That is foundational in a charter which was made post World War II,” he stressed.

“The repeated transgressions – and I’m not afraid to name them – by China to test how a body of law freely agreed upon, signed by even them, can be shaped or remolded into what they think is their version of international law. And surely, the nexus is shaping a version for their own insular interests, which means it’s a zero-sum game. Their game, the world’s loss,” he added.

Attended by representatives from about 29 countries, the 35th MILOPS is a four-day conference which provides an opportunity for participants to discuss the important aspects of international law, military cooperation and the importance of the rules-based international order to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the event, held at the Rigodon Hall of the Manila Hotel, brings together senior military leaders, government officials, legal advisors and leading academics from various nations across the Indo-Pacific region.

The conference serves as a vital platform for discussing key aspects of international law, military cooperation and the significance of a rules-based international order.

The AFP said the conference is part of the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board meeting activities, underscoring the ongoing commitment of the Philippines and the US to strengthen defense ties and uphold the principles of international law in the Indo-Pacific region.

“It is important to highlight the significance of our mutual engagements in regional and multilateral fora, which amplify the voices of both large and small nations alike. By uniting and working together under the common principles of equity, justice and the rule of law, we can ensure peace and prosperity for future generations,” AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said.

Brawner also underscored the importance of building awareness, harnessing support and reinforcing the commitment of Filipinos on matters of Philippine territory, sovereignty and sovereign rights. – Michael Punongbayan, AFP, Ghio Ong, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Alexis Romero