Philippines is not a US puppet, says Marcos

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August 7, 2025 | 4:41pm

BENGALURU, India — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. asserted that the Philippines is not a puppet of the United States, rejecting insinuations that the country is merely acting on behalf of another nation.

Marcos made the statement following China’s remarks on the joint patrols between India and the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea.

“The narrative coming out of Beijing when it comes to the Philippines has always been to imply that we are acting for other countries,” Marcos told Indian news outlet Firstpost.

He said such statements dismiss the Philippines' independent foreign policy and misrepresent its diplomatic stance.

“That narrative that it is really, that we are acting as a, I don't know, as a puppet state to the United States, to all the allies of the United States,” Marcos said.

“I think it doesn't take very much reading and discussing to see very, very clearly, very, very quickly that that's simply not true,” he added.

Marcos said it is the Philippines’ duty to defend its territory. If countries like the US, Australia and Japan are willing to help, “who are we to turn down such assistance and such help?”

“We are, of course, also very willing to assist our partners around the world,” he added.

Beijing has repeatedly criticized the Philippines’ defense cooperation with other nations, particularly its maritime security engagements.

Chinese vessels were seen shadowing the joint exercises of India and the Philippines in the South China Sea. Beijing called India a “third party” that should stay out of the maritime dispute.

China has often framed the West Philippine Sea issue as part of a broader geopolitical struggle with the United States, the Philippines’ only mutual defense treaty ally.