The appointment of Gilbert Teodoro as defense secretary drew mixed reactions, with some saying he is experienced and reliable, while others pointing to his stand on human rights as worrisome. Read this story by AdrianINQ to know more. INQFocus
Teodoro, a lawyer by profession and former representative of Tarlac, was Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s secretary of defense from 2007 to 2009. He ran for president in 2010 but lost to Benigno Aquino III, a relative of Teodoro’s.
Based on Teodoro’s website, as DND chief from 2007 to 2009, he emphasized his “desire to institutionalize reforms in the Defense Department that would enhance defense service, systems, procedures and capabilities.”Teodoro, who finished 12th in the senatorial election last year with 12,789,479 votes, also pointed out the need to have a “stronger, rational and strategy-based national defense policy.
Looking back to the 2000s, Arroyo was regarded by the think tank International Crisis Group as “more receptive” to China, as stated in a report by Rappler. It was also Arroyo who said Philippines and China relations went to an all-time low from 2010 to 2016.Cabalza, a professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, said it was in Teodoro’s time as Arroyo’s DND chief that the Philippines was engaging with China to foster bilateral ties.
Marcos previously said the Philippines is looking at the US as its “sole treaty partner” in strengthening and redefining ties amid tensions in the South China Sea and the Asia Pacific.The DND stressed that the Edca expansion is “seen to boost disaster response,” but the new locations are strategic and would allow American soldiers enough proximity to Taiwan and the West Philippine Sea.
Espeña, meanwhile, explained that Teodoro “understands the political purpose of urgently modernizing armed forces, which is to secure what international law has awarded in accordance to national interests.
Karapatan pointed out that it documented 181 extrajudicial killings, 24 enforced disappearances, 20 cases of abduction, 99 cases of torture, 456 illegal arrests and 164 illegal arrests with detention from August 2007 to October 2009.There were 117,133 documented victims of indiscriminate firing, 148,044 victims of forced evacuation and displacement and 9,154 victims of hamletting, too, the group said.
As the group said, with such an “appalling” record, the Filipino people have every reason to fear Teodoro’s appointment.
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