The Department of National Defense (DND) on Tuesday dismissed as fake a document circulating online that depicts Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. discussing sensitive national security matters, maritime operations, and personal political ambitions with a United States official.
DND Spokesperson Arsenio Andolong warned the public against the “spurious and fabricated” letter, which was ostensibly signed by Teodoro and addressed to a Peter Enzminger, identified in the document as an official of the US Central Intelligence Agency.
“The Department unequivocally states that the document and its content are obviously and absolutely false and fake,” Andolong said.
Andolong confirmed that the defense department has formally referred the incident to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for investigation.
“This is yet another episode of foreign interference and malign influence that is intended to discredit the legitimate and lawful efforts of the Philippine government to assert its national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Andolong added.
The spurious correspondence, dated July 31, purported to depict Teodoro outlining Philippine operations in the West Philippine Sea, including maneuvers near Ayungin Shoal. The letter claimed that the US remains the top priority in the country’s national security strategy and “serves as the highest guiding principle in my official duties,” while asserting that Philippine maritime goals could not be achieved without American military, intelligence, logistical, and strategic backing.
The document further stated: “I commit that, regardless of any changes in the domestic political climate within the Philippines, my support for the PH-US Alliance will remain steadfast.”
In addition to defense strategy, the document touched on domestic politics, referencing the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and the arrest of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta on plunder charges, framing Marcoleta’s arrest as a major blow dealt to the Duterte faction by the Marcos administration.
“Should the Philippine political system collapse, I have the capacity to rally the Armed Forces under my command,” the forged text read.
The document also framed Teodoro’s potential “political ascent” not as a “personal career advancement” but as a “strategic instrument of considerable significance for the PH-US Alliance in relation to the West Philippine Sea and the broader Indo-Pacific.”
“With close cooperation, should I be entrusted with the highest leadership role, I will uphold the continuity of our foreign policy and enhance the predictability of our future action,” the fake text added. “I will further strengthen PH-US Alliance relationships and more effectively advance US strategic architecture in the entire Indo-Pacific region. I look forward to a more in-depth and productive discussion at our next meeting.”