By MARTIN SADONGDONG
The Department of National Defense (DND) clarified on Monday, July 14, that Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. renounced his Maltese passport in 2021.
The statement comes in response to accusations that he holds dual citizenship and is therefore unqualified to hold public office.
According to DND spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong, Teodoro surrendered and officially renounced his Maltese passport before filing his certificate of candidacy in 2021 for the 2022 senatorial elections.
Teodoro ran for senator in the 2022 polls, placing 15th out of 12 available seats.
Andolong said the existence of the Maltese passport had been properly disclosed to both the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and Commission on Elections (Comelec) prior to the elections.
The matter was also presented to the Commission on Appointments (CA) before Teodoro’s confirmation as defense secretary.
He was appointed to the post by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on June 5, 2023, and has served the role since.
“The motive of this rumor is clear and known to Secretary Teodoro. The timing of the article adds to this motive,” Andolong noted.
The defense official did not immediately clarify the possible motive of the allegation or why the timing of its release was significant.
The DND issued the statement after a newspaper article claimed that Teodoro holds a Maltese passport, which supposedly makes him a dual citizen.
Under Philippine law and constitutional principles, individuals holding public office—especially those in Cabinet-level positions—are not allowed to possess dual citizenship.
The Association of Reservists and Administrators of the Philippines has also denounced the report as “malicious and misleading,” describing it as “a desperate attempt to discredit a highly qualified and patriotic public servant.” “These attacks appear just as Secretary Teodoro is pushing forward key reforms to modernize the AFP and strengthen our territorial defense. We must remain focused on what matters – national security, not political noise,” said association chairman LTC Michael Romero.
