Brawner: The AFP will remain apolitical

MANILA, Philippines —  The military will remain non-partisan amid calls that it get involved in recent political developments and corruption scandals in government, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said.

“Of course we’re seeing what’s happening in the country. We’re not blind, and we’re not deaf either,” Brawner said in Filipino on Monday in a chance interview at Camp Aguinaldo.

“We know what is happening, but it’s not our mandate to meddle in politics. That is not our mandate,” he said.

He was reacting to Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte’s call for the military to stand for truth and justice.

“We can see the democratic process is moving. There are hearings. In fact, people were saying the leadership change in the Senate is proof of democracy working for us,” Brawner said.

Over the weekend, the military cautioned the public against falling for social media posts with a photo of the AFP chief agitating the masses.

The AFP emphasized that the use of Brawner’s image was intended “to promote or encourage participation in political activities and mass protests (that) are unauthorized and do not reflect the position of the AFP.”

“The AFP is a professional, unified and non-partisan institution. We do not endorse, support or participate in partisan political activities. Our actions are guided solely by the Constitution, the rule of law and our sworn duty to the Republic,” AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad stressed.

“We urge the public to exercise discernment and verify information before sharing online content that may falsely imply AFP involvement or endorsement,” he said.

Dissatisfaction

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, said raw intelligence suggests that dissatisfaction within the military and the police has reached the battalion and regional levels, and might deepen ongoing  political crisis and compound the country’s economic woes.

“As per information, though still sketchy and raw, the level of frustration within the armed services has reached up to battalion and regional levels,” Lacson said.

“The danger is, if some unscrupulous and power-hungry destabilizers among some aligned political groups would take advantage by fanning the flame of discontent, rightly or wrongly, which could trigger widespread mass movements and protests,” he said.

Lacson said people behind the threats should know from history that no coup attempts without civilian support had succeeded.

As such, he said those in the armed services who are “quietly” expressing their frustrations “are monitoring developments in this regard.” – Neil Jayson Servallos