Philippines to freeze arms deals with Israel
The Philippines has announced that it will not enter into new arms contracts with Israel, amid growing political pressure over the Gaza war.
Defence Secretary Gilbert Teodoro confirmed during a budget hearing before the House Committee on Appropriations in Manila that while Manila continues to receive munitions under earlier contracts, no fresh agreements will be signed.
“Right now, it’s just the continuing of past contracts. We have no new contracts with any Israel-based companies,” Teodoro told lawmakers. “Our issue is to secure our supply chains with them. Right now that they are involved in a conflict, I myself won’t be comfortable that they will put a contract on par with their own needs.”
The clarification followed questions over a ₱248 million ($15,057) notice of award to Israel’s Elbit Systems for precision-guided projectiles, signed in August 2025. Lawmaker Renee Louise criticised the deal, saying: “Elbit Systems, it’s the same one that funds the genocide and the ongoing slaughter of Gazans, Palestinians.”
Teodoro stressed that the transaction was linked to sustaining existing military platforms acquired in 2022, not to fresh acquisitions. He admitted the army had “little choice” but to maintain the systems for now, saying: “It was deemed wiser just to continue with the existing systems… It’s a lesson learned for us in who we contract with and how we contract.”
The Philippines, a long-standing military ally of the United States, has been one of the top buyers of Israeli defence equipment. Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute shows that between 2019 and 2023, it ranked second globally in Israeli arms imports, accounting for 12 per cent of sales. India was first with 37 per cent, followed by the US with 8.7 per cent.
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Teodoro’s remarks came as Israel faces mounting global outrage over its two-year war on Gaza and the West Bank, where more than 65,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since October 2023. Last week, Israel widened its campaign by striking Doha, killing five Hamas members and a Qatari officer, after months of near-daily attacks on Lebanon, Syria, and Iran.
While Teodoro admitted the Philippines was “stuck” with existing arrangements, he signalled that the controversy would shape future procurement decisions.
However, he urged the government to push harder and “question and even exit this continuing contract given the concerns that we raised on record.”
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