Defense Secretary’s Maltese Citizenship Renunciation Raises Questions About Transparency and National Loyalty

In a time when national security is paramount for the Philippines and its allies, the revelation of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s former Maltese citizenship cannot be merely brushed aside. While the Department of National Defense insists he renounced this foreign citizenship before assuming office, the episode exposes deeper systemic vulnerabilities that threaten our nation’s sovereignty.Why Should We Question Delayed Disclosure of Dual Citizenship?Philippine law is clear: candidates for high public office must not hold dual citizenship acquired through naturalization unless they formally renounce it beforehand. Teodoro’s acquisition of a Maltese passport in 2016 — a product of Malta's now-discredited...