At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Marcos regime defense secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr strutted as a peddler of imperialist US’ worst militarist policies. In the forum, he urged countries to follow the US line and offered himself as their coordinator in Asia. Like an attack dog, he aggressively denounced those opposing the US. The Shangri-La Dialogue held on May 29-31 is an annual gathering of defense officials in Asia.

At the gathering, Teodoro brazenly declared the Philippines an “Archipelagic Sentinel” and “defender of free seas.” This aligns with the US strategic objective to use the country as a large, free forward operating base in its rivalry with China. This offer is anchored on US National Defense Strategy of brandishing American military power or “peace through strength.” Teodoro is pimping the Philippines’ bases, facilities, and enclaves not only to the US but also to its allies, to serve as launching pads for military operations, storage sites for offense weapons, and factories for war production.

Teodoro vehemently defended the US, as well as Japan, against criticisms of hegemonism in Asia. He defended the Sanae Takaichi government’s militarism and the history of Japan’s brutal occupation of Asia, including the Philippines, during World War II. He called reminders of the war crimes of imperialist Japan “unfair” and a “misreading of history.” This stands despite the broad Japanese people’s opposition to removing constitutional and legal impediments for Japan to engage in any war.

Teodoro tightened the shackles tying the Philippines to US strategic interests. He signed the 15-year Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement with US Department of War secretary Pete Hegseth on May 30. He earlier signed two “intelligence data-sharing” agreements that expose the Philippines’ internal and security matters to foreign troops. He also pushed and signed four military agreements that allow the free entry and exit of US-allied foreign troops in the country.

War criminal Hegseth heaped praises on Teodoro for fully supporting the US demand that countries in Asia allocate up to 3.5% of their GDP (over ₱1 trillion in the case of the Philippines) for defense spending. Teodoro has increased the budget of the puppet AFP for 2026 by 12% compared to 2025, from ₱378.9 billion to ₱423.7 billion. For admittedly unable to meet the US demand, the Marcos regime is offering the free use of facilities, resources, and land to American forces. Hegseth said other countries should “emulate” the Philippines in this regard.

Teodoro is domestically the leading proponent of militarist doctrine against the people and movements opposing the US imperialist war, especially forces led by the Communist Party of the Philippines. Parroting his master, he brands armed resistance against imperialist plunder and exploitation as “terrorism.” He praises the bloody counterinsurgency campaign that results in massacres and war crimes. He even recently praised and dined with 79th IB troops responsible for the massacre of 19 individuals, including two minors, in Toboso, Negros Occidental. He also strongly opposes any peace talks with the revolutionary movement to resolve the roots of the armed conflict.

Teodoro represents the most servile and militarist character of the reactionary Philippine state. He first served as defense secretary under the corrupt Arroyo regime. Before becoming secretary under the equally corrupt Marcos regime, he served on the board of directors of the foreign mining company Sagittarius Mines, Incorporated. The SMI is notorious for land grabbing against the B’laan for the Tampakan Copper-Gold Project and for brutally suppressing their resistance.

He comes from the Cojuangco family, a clan of despotic landlords and bureaucrat-capitalists. He served as congressman of the first district of Tarlac from 1998 to 2007. He offered to run as vice president to Sara Duterte in 2022. He sought the presidency in 2010 but failed. He is the nephew of Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr, a key crony of the fascist dictatorship of Marcos Sr, as well as of former president Corazon Aquino, who is notorious for massacres of farmworkers and peasants.