THE Armed Forces yesterday said the country remains stable amid the issue of massive corruption in government, disputing a remark by Vice President Sara Duterte.
Duterte on Monday said the government is “unstable,” noting that the institutions are “clearly abused” and used for “personal gains.”
“Security-wise yes,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla told a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo.
The military also vowed to take legal action against a retired Air Force general who said the people have no other recourse but to take up arms amid the corruption controversy.
“We will not take this sitting down,” said Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy inspector general who also serves as Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea.
Trinidad made the remarks in response to a social media post of retired Maj. Gen. Romeo Poquiz who is identified with former President Rodrigo Duterte.
On Facebook, Poquiz said: “When the Legislative is corrupt to the core. When the Executive is incompetent and complicit. When the Judiciary archives or sells cases. The AFP is the only refuge of the people.”
Trinidad and Padilla said the Armed Forces is a professional organization whose loyalty is to the Constitution and to the chain of command.
Padilla said the military is “intact, professional and disciplined” despite efforts information efforts to undermine it.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Army’s Reserve Command has recommended the delisting of Cavite Rep. Francisco Barzaga from its reserve force roster.
Days before the September 21 protests against corruption in the government, Barzaga said Army reservists “will fight for our nation.”
“And we will bring an end to this corrupt government,” said Barzaga in a post on September 16, which was accompanied by a picture of him and several other individuals in Army uniform.
“Good news! Plenty of our friends in the AFP, PNP and reserves wish to join our protest. President Marcos, if you truly care about the people, let the uniformed personnel express their anger against your corrupt government!,” Barzaga also said.
Yesterday, Barzaga, a known Duterte supporter, called for the impeachment of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “due to his inability to bring justice for the hundreds of billions stolen from the DPWH Flood Control Funds,” he said on Facebook.
In another post, Barzaga, who was described by Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno as “unwell,” said: “We will impeach President Marcos! #PhilippinesVsMarcos”
Army spokesman Col. Louie Dema-ala said Barzaga was recommended to be delisted “in response to Rep Barzaga’s speeches and utterances on social media insinuating that the AFP, PNP, and Reservists will join the protest on 21 September 2025, declaring the loss of trust in the President by the AFP.”
Dema-ala said Barzaga’s actions “were classified as a grave offense of misconduct.”
“Congressman Francisco Barzaga made seditious statements online while wearing the AFP uniform in his public posts. His statements clearly violated the AFP rules, as determined by the internal investigation of the Reserve Command, Philippine Army,” he said.
He reminded Army reservists to “uphold military professionalism and non-partisanship, as enshrined in the AFP Code of Ethics, ensuring that all actions do not compromise our noble profession of arms.”
Trinidad said the current political and information is “not normal, it is charged.”
Referring to Poquiz’ post, he said, “Any statement like will not add to the situation, more so if it will incite the people to armed rebellion.”
“We are not even concerned about doing a loyalty check. We trust the men and women of the organization,” he added.
He said the military is concerned over the “different attempts of disinformation, misinformation, and mal-information by different people and parties to sway the AFP to do extra-constitutional efforts.”
“These attempts should stop. We would like to warn the public to be wary, to be cautious of retired officers who are calling for armed rebellion on the false, on the wrong premise that the AFP could not perform its mandate,” he said.
Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, also sa Duterte ally and a former PNP chief, said if the massive corruption problem is left unresolved, dissatisfaction in the government may lead to “something big that constitutes a threat.”
He also said the administration should be sensitive to the concerns of retired police and military officials, who have been showing disappointment with the corruption in government. – With Wendell Vigilia and Raymond Africa
