Ex-general who called for Marcos ouster nabbed

MANILA, Philippines — Police yesterday arrested retired Philippine Air Force Maj. Gen. Romeo Poquiz on charges of inciting to sedition.

Operatives of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and Aviation Security Group apprehended Poquiz upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 from Bangkok, Thailand, where he and his family celebrated the New Year.

Freed on bail, Poquiz said, “We are thankful that the arrest, processing, posting of bail and release order of the judge were all handled properly.”

Poquiz, founder of the United People’s Initiative and a vocal critic of the Marcos administration, is facing inciting to sedition and rebellion charges filed by the Department of Justice.

“Our group will continue expressing the sentiments of Filipinos regarding the severe corruption in our country. We expected that before Christmas, some people would be jailed and held accountable. But until now, none of that has happened,” he told reporters at Camp Crame after posting bail.

At an anti-corruption protest in November last year, Poquiz allegedly called on members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to withdraw their support for President Marcos.

“Those being arrested are the small ones. Those who stole billions should be the ones held accountable and brought to justice, especially because people died from illnesses during recent floods since the flood control projects were not implemented and funds were allegedly stolen,” Poquiz said.

Responding to claims that Poquiz was being harassed, acting police chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the case underwent proper legal procedures.

Police officers merely implemented the arrest warrant dated Dec. 5, 2025 issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 77, he noted.

Poquiz’s lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said his arrest “is but the latest in a series of dastardly moves by the present administration to silence its critics.”

“Gen. Poquiz was merely verbalizing the frustrations felt by a vast majority of Filipinos regarding scandalous corruption,” he added.

Topacio claimed that Poquiz’s rights were violated at the airport, where they “repeatedly asked the police to respect our right as lawyers to confer with our client, but we were not allowed and he was suddenly taken to Camp Crame.”

The AFP, for its part, said Poquiz’s arrest reflected the primacy of the rule of law and the authority of established legal institutions.

“While freedom of expression is protected by the Constitution, it must be exercised within legal bounds,” the AFP reiterated. — Mark Ernest Villeza, Pia Lee-Brago