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Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. during the 4th State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 28, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178220820542420260623100640_c9baf45eedd20b2d1ace5cf44b7da8c1af0327a49f05c48a13f4a1fa6bd291a3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. during the 4th State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 28, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday dismissed claims that military generals were planning to file complaints against Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., calling the allegation a “joke” and reaffirming its support for the defense chief.The AFP issued the statement after <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/18/dnd-says-perjury-complaint-vs-teodoro-based-on-unverified-allegations-2051">a lawyer filed complaints</a> for perjury and falsification of public documents against Teodoro and claimed that a majority of AFP generals were considering similar legal action amid supposed tensions between military leaders and defense officials.“On the legal side, I would like to defer to the Department of National Defense (DND) for the merits of the case,” AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad (Reserve) told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.But Trinidad dismissed claims that AFP generals were preparing to file similar complaints.“On the claim that the majority of generals of the AFP would be filing a similar case, that is a joke that should be laughed at and not replied to,” he said.Trinidad rejected suggestions of a rift between the military and Teodoro.“Totoong joke &#x27;yun. No such tension exists. Laugh at it, it’s a good joke,” he added.The AFP said it would not give credence to what it described as baseless allegations aimed at dragging the military into politically motivated issues.“We will not dignify baseless and unverified allegations that seek to drag our institution into matters that are driven by personal motives,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said.Padilla echoed the DND’s earlier assessment that the complaint appeared to be a “fishing expedition.”“Our DND provided an answer that this seems to be a fishing expedition. The intent is malicious, and also the timing is very dubious,” she said.She assured the public that the military remains focused on its constitutional mandate and that the allegations would not affect its operations.“Our commitment here is our constitutional mandate and, of course, for us to defend the Filipino people in safeguarding our nation’s security. We stand by Secretary Teodoro as our defense secretary, and we will not dignify these claims,” Padilla said.The AFP also stressed that there was no need to conduct loyalty checks among its troops.“Wala pong loyalty check, hindi ito kailangan. Our ground commanders have assured us that they are in control, and our forces remain professional,” she added.The DND earlier maintained that the complaint against Teodoro was based on unverified allegations and lacked credible evidence.The department said the complaint improperly sought to shift the burden of proof to government agencies, including the Office of the Pasay City Prosecutor, by asking them to establish facts that the complainants themselves had failed to substantiate.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/12/defense-chief-teodoro-says-to-keep-doing-my-duty-after-china-sanctions-0813">Defense chief Teodoro says to &#x27;keep doing my duty&#x27; after China sanctions</a> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/2/teodoro-rejects-possible-peace-talks-with-npa-following-toboso-encounter-2118">Teodoro rejects peace talks with Reds following Toboso encounter </a></div>

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday dismissed claims that military generals are planning to file complaints against Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., calling the allegation a “joke” and reaffirming its support for the defense chief.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday dismissed claims that military generals are planning to file complaints against Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., calling the allegation a “joke” and reaffirming its support for the defense chief.

‘A good joke’: AFP says supposed rift with Teodoro laughable

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‘A good joke’: AFP says supposed rift with Teodoro laughable

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 23, 2026 05:53 PM PHT

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