MANILA – Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. condemned a social media post by China Daily depicting Filipinos as monkeys, describing it as racist propaganda that reflects the Chinese government’s view of the Filipino people.

In a statement, Teodoro said the post mocked the 2016 Arbitral Award and glorified violence against Filipinos and Filipino soldiers.

“The post of China Daily depicting the Filipinos as monkeys, is a revealing insight into what the Chinese communist apparatus thinks of the Filipino people,” he said.

“This mockery of the lawful 2016 Arbitral Award and the video’s glorification of violence against the Filipino people and soldiers expose the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of China’s propaganda machine.”

Teodoro said the material was unworthy of a country that claims to be a responsible regional leader.

“Such contemptible propaganda is a disgrace to any State that claims to exercise responsible regional leadership. It reveals the weakness of a government that resorts to racism, threats, and manufactured hatred because it has utterly failed to defend its ridiculous claims through reason, evidence, or law,” he said.

The defense chief also defended the government’s policy of refraining from ministerial and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) defense engagements or contacts with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its agencies.

“We are justified in our policy of no Ministerial or AFP defense engagements or contacts with the CCP or any of its agencies,” Teodoro said.

He added that the incident further reinforced concerns over China’s conduct.

“The recent spate of schizophrenic behavior of the Chinese Communist Party is too clear to disregard or to ignore. This latest act of dehumanization further reveals them as neither a secure and confident actor nor a trustworthy neighbor.”

Teodoro ended his statement by urging Filipinos to remain vigilant.

“Pilipinas huwag magpalinlang! Ang nalilinlang ay nasisiil.”