Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said the Philippines’ defense alliances, including its new Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) with Canada, have exposed China’s “hegemonic” ambitions in the South China Sea.
Signed on Sunday in Makati, the Canada-PH SOVFA is the first such agreement Canada has entered into in the Indo-Pacific, underscoring growing security cooperation among like-minded nations.
Teodoro criticized Beijing’s “rhetoric” and lack of sincerity in resolving maritime disputes, citing China’s recent accusations that the Philippines was “blackmailing” it.
During the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Teodoro and counterparts from the U.S., Japan, and Australia reaffirmed opposition to any coercive actions by China in regional waters.
Meanwhile, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) called for the pullout of the U.S. Army’s Typhon missile system from Northern Luzon, claiming it threatens Philippine sovereignty and regional peace.
Source: PhilNews24 | November 4, 2025
