Retired military officials remain legally accountable to the government despite no longer being in active service amid reports of misinformation on the alleged cut to pension for retired military officials, Malacañang said Monday.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro emphasized that retirement from service does not exempt former generals or officers from facing consequences should they commit violations.
“If they committed a crime, they must be held accountable, and it is the court that will judge them,” Castro said.
Her statement followed reports of retired officers allegedly spreading false claims about supposed pension reductions, an issue the Armed Force of the Philippines (AFP) has already clarified as misinformation.
Castro noted that the issue currently rests with the AFP.
“That issue belongs to the AFP, and if there is something to study, it should first be examined properly,” she said.
The AFP has urged the public to ignore unfounded rumors, reiterating that no pension cuts are being implemented.
The AFP continues to face reports of an ouster plot against the Marcos administration, which AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. repeatedly denied.
