Teodoro for president? Philippine defence chief draws 2028 election buzz after China clash
Por Raissa Robles — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement The Philippines This Week in Asia Politics Teodoro for president? Philippine defence chief draws 2028 election buzz after China clash
His viral moment in Seoul has raised his profile among supporters, but analysts say weak polling and past losses remain hurdles
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Raissa Robles Published: 3:18pm, 17 Sep 2026 Updated: 3:31pm, 17 Sep 2026 Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr has won a burst of online support among Filipinos who see him as one of Manila’s most outspoken senior officials against China, with some already asking whether it could give him enough political momentum to carry him into the 2028 elections. His latest boost came after a viral moment at the Seoul Defence Dialogue on September 8, where he read out a handwritten note reiterating Beijing’s rejection of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling while on stage.
Forum organisers said the note came from a military attaché at the Chinese embassy in Seoul, who had passed it to a staff member and asked that it be given to Teodoro, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.
Teodoro read parts of the note aloud, including Beijing’s position that the 2016 award was “illegal, null and void”, before saying the move was disrespectful to the forum’s South Korean hosts and showed disregard for international law. Select Voice Select Speed 0.8x 0.9x 1.0x 1.1x 1.2x 1.5x 1.75x 00:00 00:00 1x AI-generated voice
