President Ferdinand Marcos Jr appointed Gilberto Teodoro as Defense Minister, a position he held under former president Arroyo.
The appointment decision was announced by the Philippine Presidential Palace today after a meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and leaders of the Department of Defense. Gilberto Teodoro will take over as Defense Minister, replacing Acting Minister Carlito Galvez.
Mr. Gilberto Teodoro, 58, is a former congressman and served as defense secretary of the Philippines from 2007-2009, under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He is a lawyer, politician and businessman who has never served in the Philippine military.
Mr. Teodoro in 2016. Photo: Rappler
The Philippine Defense Secretary position has been vacant for nearly a year since Marcos was elected president in June 6. Leading the Philippine Department of Defense during this period were acting ministers, all former army generals.
President Marcos has sought to foster warm relations with both the United States and China, which are competing for influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Experts say the US sees the Philippines as a potential site to deploy missiles, rockets and artillery systems to deal with contingencies in the region. However, Marcos said that China had agreed to discuss fishing rights in the South China Sea and that he would not allow the Philippines to become a springboard for any military action.
Washington and Manila earlier this year signed an agreement to allow US troops access to four more military bases in the Philippines. China criticized the move "to escalate military tensions and jeopardize peace and stability in the region".
Vu Anh (Follow Reuters)
