A group of four Filipino citizens brought a legal challenge before the Pasay City Prosecutor's Office on June 18, 2026, formally requesting a preliminary investigation into Defense Secretary Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo Cojuangco Teodoro Jr. The complaint centers on a Maltese passport allegedly issued in Teodoro's name and whether declarations he made on a Philippine passport application in 2017 were consistent with his foreign citizenship status at the time.
What the Complaint Alleges
According to the joint complaint-affidavit, the four complainants allege that Teodoro held a Maltese passport that was valid from December 22, 2016 through December 22, 2026. The core issue, as laid out in the affidavit, is whether a Philippine passport application filed by Teodoro on or around March 17, 2017 — while that foreign passport was still active — contained declarations on citizenship or foreign passport status that "appear materially inconsistent" with the existence of the Maltese document.
The complaint, which reportedly runs at least 15 pages, was partially reviewed by Kuryente News. The portions reviewed covered the opening sections of the affidavit and the prayer for relief; the detailed factual narrative in later pages was not included in the copy made available.
Three Criminal Laws Cited by Complainants
The complaint-affidavit, as reviewed by Kuryente News, identifies three separate legal grounds. First, the complainants invoke the Philippine Passport Act of 1996, or Republic Act No. 8239, which regulates the issuance of Philippine passports and expressly prohibits material misrepresentations in passport applications.
Second, the complainants cite the Revised Penal Code provision on falsification of a public document. Third, they raise the charge of perjury, applicable if the contested declarations were made under oath. The affidavit further requests that the Pasay City Prosecutor convene a panel of prosecutors to manage both the preliminary investigation and case build-up phases.
It must be noted that the allegations in the complaint remain unproven. Under Philippine rules of criminal procedure, a complaint-affidavit merely commences the preliminary investigation process. The prosecutor is required to independently assess whether probable cause exists before any information can be filed in court. At this stage, Teodoro has not been directed to file a counter-affidavit or to respond to the complaint in any form.
Who Are the Complainants
The four individuals who filed the complaint identified themselves as Filipino citizens and taxpayers acting in the public interest. They are lawyer Russel C. Miraflor, a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, along with Antonio Balondo Jr., Ernie Arimala, and Jerry M. Honrado.
In their own words as quoted in the affidavit, the complainants stated that they were "not filing this case to harass, vex, or embarrass" the defense secretary. They expressed their position that the matter should be settled on the basis of official documentary records and not through "conjecture or political conclusion."
Subpoenas Sought from Multiple Government Agencies
As part of their prayer for relief, the complainants asked the Pasay City Prosecutor to issue subpoenas compelling several government agencies to produce certified true copies of pertinent documents. The agencies named include the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Bureau of Immigration, the Civil Service Commission, the Department of National Defense, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
The documents being sought include passport applications and issuance records, travel records, and any filings related to citizenship reacquisition connected to Teodoro. The complainants additionally asked that official requests be transmitted through proper diplomatic or government channels to Maltese authorities, seeking records on Teodoro's citizenship status, passport issuance, and any formal renunciation he may have executed.
Teodoro's Earlier Statements on the Maltese Passport
This is not the first time the Maltese passport issue has become a matter of public record. The Department of National Defense said in a statement issued in July 2025 that Teodoro's Maltese passport "was surrendered and renounced" prior to his filing of a certificate of candidacy in 2021 in preparation for the 2022 senatorial elections. The DND further disclosed at that time that the existence of the foreign passport had already been made known to the Bureau of Immigration, the Commission on Elections, and the Commission on Appointments before Teodoro's confirmation as Secretary of National Defense.
Teodoro himself confirmed in July 2025 that he had acquired Maltese citizenship through Malta's investment program. He stated that he relinquished the citizenship "through both the Philippine and the Maltese process" before joining the 2022 senatorial race. He characterized the recurring attention to the issue as a "smear campaign" that he linked to his publicly expressed positions on the West Philippine Sea territorial dispute with China.
Applicable Law on Dual Citizenship and Public Office
Republic Act No. 9225, known as the Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003, allows natural-born Filipinos who have acquired foreign citizenship to reacquire their Philippine citizenship. The law also permits dual citizens to hold public office in the Philippines, subject to the requirement that they formally renounce their foreign citizenship prior to running for elective office or assuming an appointive government position.
Legal experts who weighed in during the 2025 iteration of the controversy noted that a valid and completed renunciation of Maltese citizenship before 2022 would largely address the eligibility question. However, the present complaint filed before the Pasay City Prosecutor shifts the focus: rather than questioning Teodoro's eligibility for public office, it targets the accuracy of specific declarations he made in his 2017 Philippine passport application — a question that rests on the documentary record at the time those declarations were submitted, separate from whatever renunciation may have followed later.
No Response Yet from the Defense Department
As of the complaint's filing date of June 18, 2026, the Department of National Defense had not released any statement addressing the new legal action lodged before the Pasay City Prosecutor's Office. Neither the DND nor Teodoro's office had publicly responded to the complaint as of the time of this report, according to Kuryente News.
The Pasay City Prosecutor's Office has likewise not made any public announcement confirming whether the complaint has been docketed or indicating a timeline for determining whether to proceed with a formal preliminary investigation. Standard prosecutorial procedure requires the office to first evaluate whether the complaint is sufficient in form and substance before issuing subpoenas or directing the respondent to answer.
What Happens Next Under Philippine Procedure
Under the Rules on Criminal Procedure, once a complaint-affidavit is filed before a city or provincial prosecutor, it initiates a preliminary investigation. During this phase, the prosecutor evaluates whether sufficient grounds exist to support a well-founded belief that a crime was committed and that the respondent is probably responsible. Only upon a finding of probable cause may a criminal information be filed in court to formally charge the respondent.
Should the Pasay City Prosecutor find the complaint sufficient, Teodoro would be required to submit a counter-affidavit addressing the allegations. The subpoenas directed at the DFA, Bureau of Immigration, DND, and other agencies would form a critical part of assembling the documentary record that the complainants argue is essential to resolving the factual questions at the heart of the case.
No hearing schedule or deadline for a response has been publicly announced as of this writing. Further statements from the Department of National Defense or from Teodoro's office may be issued in the days ahead as the complaint receives broader media coverage.
Originally reported by: Kuryente News