Defense Secretary Gilberto 'Gibo' Teodoro Jr. issued a blunt warning to China on Friday over the grounded BRP Sierra Madre. He said any attempt by Chinese forces to tow the warship away by force would be treated as an act of war against the Philippines. Teodoro was reacting to a report in a Manila-based Chinese-language newspaper that said Beijing was weighing the removal of the vessel. The aging ship has sat aground at Second Thomas Shoal in the West Philippine Sea since 1999, where Filipino marines rotate aboard to keep a constant presence. Manila repeatedly refuses Chinese demands to pull the vessel out, treating the shoal as part of its territory in the disputed waterway. Teodoro's statement sets a clear red line and signals that a forcible removal would trigger a serious response. The waters around the shoal have already seen run-ins between Chinese coast guard ships and Philippine resupply boats in recent years. His remarks show that the government now views any towing move as an attack on national territory rather than an ordinary quarrel.