NATIONAL Security Adviser Eduardo Año yesterday said the military’s high trust rating shows the communist movement has failed in its decades-long campaign to demonize the Armed Forces.
Año, a former AFP chief, commended the military for earning the “outstanding” +73 percent net trust rating and +74 overall satisfaction rating on a recent survey conducted by Octa Research.
Año said the survey result was “an undeniable testament to the Filipino people’s confidence in our armed forces.”
“This positive support sends a clear and powerful message that the Communist Party of the Philippines New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) has utterly failed in its decades-long campaign to demonize our state security forces,” said Año.
Año said the CPP-NPA-NDF has “falsely accused” the AFP of human rights violations, enforced disappearances, and killing of environmental defenders.
Año said the communist movement made these accusations “while dismissing its own long history of violence, deception, and internal purges.
“They allege fake surrenders and staged encounters, but the truth is clear that thousands of former rebels have voluntarily returned to the fold of the law, choosing peace over armed struggle,” said Año.
Año said the communists, instead of acknowledging these “realities,” continued to distort facts and blamed the government “for their own atrocities.
“Despite these relentless disinformation efforts, the truth has prevailed. The Filipino people see the AFP for what it truly is – an institution dedicated to protecting our sovereignty, upholding democracy, and serving the people with professionalism and integrity,” said Año.
He said the overwhelming AFP trust rating also proves that the Filipino people “reject the distortions and stand by our men and women in uniform.”
Año said the public confidence strengthens the government’s commitment to finally defeating the CPP-NPA-NDF, “not just in the mountains but also in the information space, where they desperately attempt to manipulate narratives.
“The Filipino people have spoken, and they stand firmly with their armed forces, not with the enemies of the state,” said Año.
He said the National Security Council remains steadfast in supporting the AFP and other security forces “as we continue working toward a stronger, safer, and more united Philippines.”
“With the Filipino people on our side, we will press forward in our mission to eradicate insurgency and secure lasting peace for the nation,” said Año.
