Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Friday said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will expand patrols across the country’s maritime areas after Chinese scholars claimed that Batanes belongs to China.
He said the government would strengthen its presence to protect Philippine sovereignty and dismissed the claim as baseless and contrary to international law.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año Oban Jr. also rejected the assertion, stressing that Batanes is an integral and indisputable part of the Philippines with no claim open for negotiation.
The AFP likewise denounced the statement as a state-backed disinformation campaign aimed at creating false narratives to justify future territorial expansion.
Source: PhilNews24 | July 11, 2026
TEODORO DIRECTS INCREASED PATROLS AS PH REJECTS BATANES CLAIM
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