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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
Claim: Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. has resigned as defense secretary.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: Posts bearing the claim have been circulating on Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). One such post on X has garnered 34,900 views, 54 replies, 30 reposts, and 156 likes.
“It has been reported that Gibo has resigned,” the post says. “Apparently, the resignation couldn’t take effect immediately as planned, [which] is not good for optics.”
The post includes a screenshot of Teodoro condemning the alleged Marcos “polvoron video” and a quote from his interview regarding the Philippines’ stance on the West Philippine Sea.
Similar claims link Teodoro’s supposed resignation with Cheloy Garafil’s recent departure as Presidential Communications Office (PCO) chief. The posts further claim that Marcos’ Cabinet is “falling apart” or “palubog” (sinking).
The facts: In separate statements, the Department of National Defense (DND), PCO, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself debunked claims of Teodoro’s resignation.
In a September 12 statement, DND Spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said that there is “no truth to the rumor.” He called on those spreading the false claims to refrain from doing so and urged the public to remain vigilant against similar claims.
Malacañang released a similar statement on the same day, saying the President’s “trust and confidence” in Teodoro have “never wavered.”
“Rumors to the contrary are pathetic attempts to sow disunity in an organization united in protecting our people and defending our territory,” said newly-appointed PCO Secretary Cesar Chavez.
Marcos himself denied the rumors in a chance interview in Navotas City. “Fake, fake, fake, fake, fake, fake, fake news ‘yan,” he said. (READ MORE: Marcos laughs off Teodoro resignation rumors: ‘Fake, fake, fake news’)
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Teodoro’s stint as defense chief: Teodoro was appointed Marcos’ defense chief in June 2023. He held the same position in the Cabinet of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The DND, which Teodoro heads, oversees the country’s defense agencies, such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). In recent months, the AFP and other agencies have been on the frontlines of defending the Philippines’ territorial claims amid China’s aggressive moves in the South China Sea. Tensions between the two countries have flared as Beijing continues to reject a 2016 ruling striking down its expansive claims.
Recently, Teodoro attended the August 27 United States Indo-Pacific Command’s International Military Law and Operations conference in Manila, where he expressed a wish for a United Nations Security Council resolution “condemning China and ordering it to stop” its aggressive actions in the South China Sea. (READ MORE: Teodoro’s wish: UN Security Council resolution vs China)
In the same conference, he also accused China of being the “biggest disruptor” of international peace.
Genuine changes in Marcos’ Cabinet in 2024: Aside from the PCO chief replacement, other changes to Marcos’ Cabinet in 2024 are:
- Benjamin Diokno replaced as finance chief on January 12
- Vice President Sara Duterte resigned as education secretary on June 19
- Fred Pascual resigned as trade secretary on July 31
Previous fact checks: Other false claims on supposed resignations of government officials have been debunked:
- FACT CHECK: Imee Marcos did not resign from Senate
- FACT CHECK: Tulfo remains a sitting senator
- FACT CHECK: Marcos is still president
– Shay Du/Rappler.com
Shay Du is a Rappler intern. She is an incoming fourth-year mass communication student at Silliman University. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to the #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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