Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. meets troops in a file photo. Photo courtesy of AFP Public Affairs Office.
Armed Forces Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. confirms rejecting an approach from retired officers to withdraw support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., urging troops to uphold professionalism and ignore political noise as Malacañang warns of legal action against coup instigators.
MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has reaffirmed its loyalty to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. confirmed that a group of retired generals had approached the military leadership and urged them to withdraw support from the Commander-in-Chief.
Gen. Brawner said the meeting took place in late September, around the time of nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in flood-control projects. He stressed that the proposal “did not gain traction” and that the military remains solidly behind the President.
“There were indeed calls to withdraw support, but our soldiers are well-disciplined. Those calls did not gain ground,” Brawner said. “We remain loyal to our Commander-in-Chief and to the Constitution.”
Senior defense officials confirmed that Brawner immediately rejected the overture and informed the Department of National Defense and the Office of the President, ensuring that the chain of command remained intact.
Uphold the code of conduct
Palace warns of legal action
Malacañang said it is reviewing possible sedition and treason charges against those behind alleged coup overtures and public calls for military withdrawal of support from the President.
Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the government will hold accountable those “spreading falsehoods that threaten national stability.”
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. called coup talk “reckless and divisive,” stressing that the Department of National Defense and the AFP “are united in protecting constitutional order.”
Military unity and professionalism
Analysts note that while pressure from some retired officers persists, there is no sign of internal dissent within the AFP. Reports from major news outlets describe the military as “resolutely professional,” with Brawner credited for keeping communication lines open and ensuring unity across the ranks.
A professional force under civilian authority
His leadership continues to emphasize discipline, modernization, and loyalty to civilian authority, reinforcing the AFP’s role as a stabilizing institution under President Marcos’ administration.
