Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Monday called on the troops to rally behind the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his administration’s Bagong Pilipinas, saying “the AFP shall be at its vanguard.”
In a statement released Monday, Jan. 29, Brawner said the AFP would remain competent and non-partisan to its duty of protecting Filipinos and the State against foreign and domestic threats.
”The AFP shall continue to be united, competent, capable, and non-partisan – steadfast and committed to our mandate of protecting our People and securing our State from all threats, foreign and domestic,” Brawner said.
Gen. Brawner’s call came a day after the President spearheaded the launch of the administration’s “Bagong Pilipinas” movement at Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
”I enjoin our soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines to take to heart the message of our Commander-in-Chief and become exemplars of what it means to be a Bagong Pilipino in a Bagong Pilipinas by remaining focused on our mission, true to the tradition of bravery, duty, loyalty, and sacrifice in our noble profession of arms,” he added.
On Sunday, the administration’s Bagong Pilipinas was formally launched. President Marcos said it is ”a set of ideals that all of us Filipinos, regardless of political creed or religion or wealth, can coalesce around.”
The AFP chief said the Philippine military ”shall remain to be a highly professional military organization, loyal to the Constitution, the chain of command, and our People.”
In Davao City on Sunday, former President Rodrigo Duterte called on the AFP and the Philippine National Police to “protect the Constitution” amid moves for Charter change.
Duterte also called Marcos “a drug addict.”
The former Chief Executive earlier said the military and police are the ones who could prevent the threats against the State, as he also denounced the people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution.
“If you’re listening and you want to avoid bloodshed, you’re the only one who could stop this. Stop this stupidity or rallies like this will multiply all over the Philippines,” Duterte said.
“If this cannot be stopped, the military and the police are there, listen… Look at what they are feeding our countrymen and when you see what’s wrong, you correct it. It’s in your hands,” he added.