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Filipino lawmakers condemn the U.S. government’s military strike in Venezuela on January 3, 2026, which captured President Nicolas Maduro, as a violation of international law, cautioning that it may complicate the Philippines’ position against China in the West Philippine Sea by setting a dangerous precedent.

The United States launched a night time raid “Operation Absolute Resolve”, that suppressed Venezuela’s defenses and led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, who has ruled the country for more than a decade, alongside his wife. Official statements from Filipino lawmakers denounced the strike as an “illegal invasion”.

Besides the disapproval, lawmakers questioned the U.S. motives behind the operation. Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cedana opposed the strike and said it should give the Filipinos a “pause” after highlighting Trump’s interest in Venezuela’s oil reserves. Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila De Lima cited the U.S. as an “aggressor state” and warned that the Philippines was left in a compromised moral ascendancy in opposing Beijing’s expansion in the South China Sea. She argues that Trump’s willingness to act outside of international law weakens U.S. credibility, giving Beijing the opportunity to challenge Manila’s position in the West Philippine Sea.

Aside from raising concerns on the U.S. motives, other lawmakers called on the Philippine government to take concrete action. ACT-Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, speaking for the Makabayan Bloc, raised the Marcos administration to issue an unequivocal condemnation and called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to raise the issue to international forums such as the United Nations and ASEAN. Tinio further calls the Filipino people to oppose imperialism and express empathy to the Venezuelan people.

Filipino lawmakers urge the Philippine government to issue a firm condemnation of the strike and raise the matter to international fora, including the United Nations and ASEAN. Rep. De Lima warned that the U.S. has become an aggressor state, making it harder for Manila to oppose China’s expansion in the West Philippine Sea. The strike may complicate Manila’s foreign policy, as the country balances its Alliance while remaining faithful to international law. 

by Gabriel Bondoc