EDITORIAL: Loyalty Matters

THE recent exchange between Malacañang and members of the Duterte family over Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s remarks about “pro-China” public officials highlights a question that should rise above political personalities: Where should the loyalty of Philippine public officials lie?

Teodoro’s call for officials who refuse to uphold the country’s policy on the West Philippine Sea to consider resigning may be provocative, but the principle behind it is not difficult to understand. Public officials take an oath to serve the Philippines and uphold its Constitution and laws. Their personal views may differ, but their official actions are expected to conform to established national policy.

The controversy began to grow when Vice President Sara Duterte and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte demanded that Teodoro identify the officials he was referring to. Their objections, however, have shifted attention away from the more important issue: whether government officials are faithfully carrying out the country's policy and protecting its national interests.

There is nothing wrong with demanding clarity from a government official who makes a serious allegation. If there are indeed public officials whose actions undermine Philippine interests in the West Philippine Sea, the public deserves facts, not insinuations. Names should not be casually thrown around, but neither should legitimate questions about national policy be dismissed as mere political attacks.

The same standard should apply to everyone.

Calling for officials to resign simply because they hold personal views that differ from the administration would be dangerous. Government must not become a place where political loyalty is tested through conformity of opinion. What matters is whether an official’s conduct violates the law, disregards established government policy, or compromises the country's interests.

At the same time, telling a defense secretary to stop “demonizing China” should not obscure the reality that the Philippines has legitimate national interests in the West Philippine Sea. Protecting those interests is not equivalent to hostility toward the Chinese people or rejection of legitimate relations with China. A sovereign country can pursue diplomacy and economic cooperation while firmly defending its territory and rights.

The exchange also demonstrates why responsible language matters, particularly among senior government officials. Suggesting that an official is “pro-China” can carry serious implications. Suggesting that another official's allegiance to the Philippines is “not solid” can be equally damaging. Such claims should be supported by evidence, not political suspicion.

The country does not need loyalty tests based on personalities. It needs loyalty to the Constitution, the Filipino people, and the national interest.

That loyalty should be measured not by who speaks the loudest or who reacts most strongly, but by what public officials actually do.

In matters involving sovereignty and national security, there should be no room for ambiguity. But there should also be no room for reckless accusations. The Filipino people deserve both: clarity about where their leaders stand and evidence to support every serious claim about their loyalty.