Gibo eligibility faces quo warranto review

A group led by lawyer Russel Miraflor has filed complaints seeking an official review of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s citizenship and qualification to hold public office.

The complainants filed a Joint Complaint-Affidavit before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office requesting an investigation into possible violations involving alleged false declarations in a Philippine passport application, falsification of public documents, and perjury, subject to the verification of government records.

They also filed a separate complaint before the Office of the Solicitor General asking it to determine whether a quo warranto petition should be filed questioning Teodoro’s qualifications as secretary of national defense.

Miraflor said the filings seek an impartial review of official records rather than a political judgment.

At the center of the complaint are documents that allegedly show Teodoro possessed a Maltese passport valid from 2016 to 2026.

The complainants are asking government agencies to verify records relating to citizenship, passport declarations, and any proceedings involving the retention or reacquisition of Philippine citizenship under Republic Act 9225.

They said that questions involving the citizenship qualification of a Cabinet official responsible for national defense warrant official verification.

The complainants also asked prosecutors to issue subpoenas and obtain certified records from relevant government agencies as part of the investigation.

In response, Defense Assistant Secretary Erik Dy said the complaint “appears to be built on unverified allegations, and attempts to shift the burden of proof to the State by requesting the Office of the Pasay City Prosecutor and other government agencies to establish the very facts the complainants themselves failed to prove.”

“That is not how the justice system works,” Dy said, adding, “the burden of proof rests on those who make the accusation. A complaint for perjury requires competent evidence, not speculation, assumptions, or a fishing expedition in search of proof. Until credible and verified evidence is presented, these claims remain nothing but unproven accusations.”