Diplomacy is the principal solution to the country’s concern with regards China’s maritime territorial claims. The solution must ultimately have economic benefits to Filipinos, this former Defense Secretary Gilberto (GIBO) Teodoro, Jr. said in an interview.

Gibo Teodoro, a 2022 senatorial candidate, offers a new and different tact to the West Philippine Sea dispute that will result in economic welfare in the form of job and livelihood opportunities, among others for Filipinos. He said previous efforts in the past have failed and that it is time for new strategies that will be good for all concerned.

Teodoro however said that the Philippines must pursue a credible deterrent. He said that there is no justification to China’s threats and intimidation and posed a challenge to the rest of the world to enforce the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal decision that unanimously favors the Philippine territorial claims.

On the same note, Teodoro, a former Tarlac congressman, expressed disappointment with some sector’s use of the West Philippine Sea issue for political mileage. He stressed that the solutions must emanate from diplomatic and security experts and that politics must be set aside.