MANILA: The Philippines will continue to build security alliances and stage joint combat drills in disputed waters to defend its territorial interests, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said Friday, dismissing China's criticisms of such moves as paranoia. Teodoro bluntly criticized Beijing's increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea, without citing China by name, in a speech before the military's top brass at a ceremony marking the anniversary of the Philippine navy's founding in Manila.The Philippines, he said, would not tolerate aggression and provocative moves. Since territorial hostilities with China surged last year in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration has taken steps to forge new security alliances with a number of Asian and Western countries and allowed a US military presence in more Philippine bases under a 2014 defense pact. In April and May, the Philippine military staged annual live-fire combat exercises with US forces in and near the disputed waters.