MANILA — Three concerned citizens have filed a joint complaint-affidavit before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasay City seeking a preliminary investigation into alleged dual citizenship issues involving Defense Secretary Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo Cojuangco Teodoro Jr.

The complaint asks prosecutors to look into Teodoro’s passport records and to subpoena documents related to his alleged Maltese citizenship, including proof that he had already renounced it.

The group is requesting the issuance of subpoenas duces tecum and ad testificandum for passport records and related government documents, including records showing whether Teodoro surrendered and renounced his Maltese passport.

In July 2025, the Department of National Defense said Teodoro had already surrendered and renounced his Maltese passport in 2021, prior to his senatorial run in 2022.

The complainants—Atty. Russel C. Miraflor, Antonio Balondo Jr., Ernie Arimala, and Jerry M. Honrado—are seeking a case build-up and the formation of a panel of prosecutors for preliminary investigation.

The complaint cites possible violations of Section 10(b) of Republic Act No. 8239 or the Philippine Passport Act of 1996, Article 172(1) in relation to Article 171(4) of the Revised Penal Code, and Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code.

Based on the affidavit, the complainants allege that Teodoro held a Maltese passport valid from December 22, 2016 to December 22, 2026, but later applied for and/or renewed a Philippine passport in March 2017, which they claim may involve inconsistencies in declared citizenship or foreign passport status.

They said the complaint is documentary in nature and urged prosecutors to rely on certified records from relevant government agencies to determine probable cause.

The group emphasized that the filing is not intended to harass the official, but to ensure that declarations made in official passport documents are truthful and complete.

Teodoro, who is currently serving as Secretary of the Department of National Defense (Department of National Defense), has not issued a public statement on the complaint as of posting.