Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. engaged in high-level talks with their Indonesian counterparts, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Commander General Agus Subiyanto, in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, April 23, to strengthen the security cooperation between the two nations.
Sjamsoeddin’s meeting with Teodoro came days after the Indonesian defense minister also visited Chinese defense minister Dong Jun in Beijing on Monday.
Teodoro and Sjamsoeddin discussed security developments in the Indo-Pacific region, where Chinese claims in the South China Sea overlap with the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of both Manila and Jakarta.
The two defense ministers “affirmed their shared interests as archipelagic nations,” according to a statement from the DND.
The meeting formed part of Minister Sjamsoeddin’s introductory engagements across Asia and follows Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s courtesy call on President Marcos Jr. in Malacañan in September 2024.
“We commit to deepen the cooperation of our defense departments and armed forces, as well as reaffirm commitment to the ASEAN solidarity, and to our trilateral arrangement with Malaysia in our southern boundary,” Teodoro said.
The DND noted that the meeting also highlighted ongoing and future cooperation under existing defense agreements, including logistics, defense industry, and personnel exchanges.
Teodoro and Sjamsoeddin also explored various areas of cooperation to include the enhancement of joint operations between the AFP and TNI in disaster response, training of AFP imams in Indonesia to counter self-radicalization and violent extremism, sending of Filipino medical specialists in the development of military medicine, and peacekeeping operations.
Teodoro also expressed interest in learning from Indonesia’s extensive experience in indigenous defense production, in line with the recently enacted Republic Act No. 12024 or the Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act, designed to establish and bolster the Philippines’ defense industry.
Meanwhile, Brawner’s meeting with General Subiyanto provided an avenue to deepen their understanding of both countries’ armed forces.
“The meeting underscored the shared vision of the Philippines and Indonesia in promoting a stable, secure, and rules-based regional order,” the DND said.
Dealing with China
In an ambush interview, Teodoro acknowledged the importance of teaming up with allies and friendly nations to counter China’s expansionist claims in the South China Sea.
He slammed China’s opposition to the deployment of the US-made NMESIS or Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System to the Philippines for the Balikatan Exercises. Beijing earlier said that the deployment of the anti-ship missile launcher was “detrimental” to regional strategic stability and regional economic prospects.
“Iba po ang sinasabi nila kapag sila ang naapektuhan kaysa sila po ang agrabyado talaga. Ang ginagawa nila sa atin ay nagtatangkang sumupil sa atin. Tayo ba ay mag-a-appease o magko-compromise eh sila nga mismo sinasabi hindi sila nagko-kompromiso? (They are saying different things when they are affected or aggrieved. They are trying to suppress us. Are we the ones to appease them or compromise when they are the ones saying they won’t compromise?),” Teodoro asked.
The defense chief also blasted China’s claims that there were three Filipinos arrested in their country for alleged espionage.
“Ano bang capability ng Pilipinong mang-espiya doon? Anong interest natin malaman kung anong nangyayari doon sa loob ng bansa nila? Ang interest natin iyong ginagawa nila sa West Philippine Sea (What capabilities do those Filipinos have to conduct spying activies? What interest do we have in learning what’s happening inside their country? Our interest lies in what they are doing in the West Philippine Sea),” Teodoro said.
The Chinese government earlier disclosed that three Filipino workers were arrested in Beijing over espionage claims. Experts said this could be a retaliatory attack after the AFP and National Bureau of Investigation arrested several Chinese citizens who were accused of spying in the Philippines.
As far as Teodoro is concerned, the Philippines is also not causing xenophobia but the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“I will say without hesitation that they are the main cause of xenophobia, plus their Intelligence Act of 2017 which mandates every Chinese national to be an intelligence operative of the Ministry of State Security. I mean, di sila ang pumako sa sarili nila sa krus (they are the ones who crucified themselves on the cross),” he said.
Meanwhile, Teodoro said the DND has yet to receive a formal offer and proposal from the United States regarding the Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) multi-role fighter acquisition program.
“Naghihintay pa kami ng formal offer and proposal. Wala pa kaming natatanggap na formal offer o proposal hanggang sa ngayon (We are still waiting for a formal offer and proposel. We haven’t received a formal offer or proposal until now),” he said.
The US Department of State approved on April 1 the potential foreign military sale of 20 F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines for around $5.58 billion. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said the Philippines requested to buy 16 units of F-16C Block 70/72 fighter jets and four F-16D Block 70/72 aircraft.
The planned sale was also opposed by China.