Military remains professional — AFP chief

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the ongoing political turbulence, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. has called on military personnel to remain professional and defend the Constitution.

He branded as false and misleading online posts claiming that the AFP was mobilizing troops in response to recent developments.

“Before I end, allow me to take this opportunity to remind our soldiers in the AFP to continue to be professional and competent,” Brawner said yesterday at the launch of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women 2024 at Camp Aguinaldo.

“In the past days, we have seen a myriad of events that transpired in our country and this has shaken the political environment of our country. As soldiers, we should not be shaken by this,” he said.

He emphasized the AFP personnel’s oath is to defend the Constitution and follow the chain of command.

“That means that we have to follow the chain of command. So we declare we are loyal to our country, we are loyal to our flag, we are loyal to our organization and we are loyal to the Constitution. This also goes to say that we are loyal to the duly constituted authorities, whoever that may be,” Brawner said.

“We’ve sworn to continue to uphold the Constitution and we have to keep this in mind so we will not be confused. Our mandate is very clear,” he added.

At a virtual press briefing on Saturday, Vice President Sara Duterte alleged she was the subject of an assassination plot and that she had ordered a member of her security team to kill President Marcos, his wife Liza and cousin Speaker Martin Romualdez should it succeed.

The AFP said reports on mobilization of troops came from unreliable sources.

“Such disinformation only serves to create unnecessary panic and confusion. The AFP remains focused on fulfilling its mandate with professionalism, dedication and loyalty to the Constitution and the chain of command. Attempts to undermine our military and democratic institutions with these fraudulent posts will not be tolerated,” the AFP said in a statement.

On Saturday, Brawner said in a statement that the AFP is “facing greater challenges that require the strength of a united country and armed forces.”

As a cornerstone of national stability, Brawner noted that the AFP shall remain non-partisan, with utmost respect for our democratic institutions and civilian authority.

“We call for calm and resolve, and for everyone to hold on to our values of respect and nationalism that will guide us in these trying times. We reiterate our need to stand together against those who will try to break our bonds as Filipinos,” he said.

The National Security Council (NSC) yesterday said that any threat to the life of the President is always considered a national security concern because it puts the country’s stability and governance at risk.

NSC Assistant Director General and spokesman Jonathan Malaya stated that the President’s safety is crucial to maintaining continuity in government, ensuring national security and upholding the rule of law.

He emphasized that threats to the President’s life can have far-reaching consequences, such as political instability, undermining the country’s democratic institutions and the rule of law and the Constitution, the very bedrock of Philippine society.

As a democratically elected head of state, Malaya stated that the President symbolizes the democratic institutions, values and aspirations of the country. 

“For this reason, any threat to his life must be viewed with utmost concern as a potential threat to our nation’s security,” Malaya said.

But Duterte said the NSC “maliciously” took her pronouncements out of context.

“We wish to emphasize that the safety of the President is a non-partisan or non-political concern. Instead of casting aspersions on the NSC, let us just wait for the results of the validation and investigation of law enforcement and security agencies,” Malaya said in response.

On Sunday, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said the NSC “considers all threats to the President of the Philippines as serious.”