CHIEF TO CHIEF Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. chats with the Commander in Chief, President Marcos, during a lull in the graduation rites of the military’s candidate officers’ schools earlier this month. —Marianne Bermudez
MANILA, Philippines — Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said he was concerned about Congress’ cuts in the military’s spending plan for 2025, but remained confident that President Marcos is fully informed and equipped to deal with the matter.
“We have full trust in our system. Of course, we are concerned about the budget, but we trust the system,” Brawner told reporters on the sidelines of the AFP’s 89th anniversary at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Friday.
Brawner said the military would remain professional despite attempts to paint a picture of “discontent” in the military.
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On November 25, former President Rodrigo Duterte called a press conference and claimed that the military may act to fix what he described as “fractured governance.”
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“Nobody can correct Marcos. Nobody can correct [Speaker Martin] Romualdez. There is no urgent remedy. It is only the military who can correct it,” said Duterte, who is under international investigation for alleged crimes against humanity during his deadly war against drugs.
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On Friday, the House of Representatives accused Duterte of similar “crimes against humanity” as it concluded its probe into the drug trafficking and foreign gambling companies during the Duterte administration.
The former leader’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, is also facing three impeachment complaints at the House of Representatives over her use of funds and refusal to account for taxpayers’ monies.
“Until when will you support an addict president?” Duterte asked the military. “I challenge the whole military, because they’re supposed to be the protectors of the Constitution.”
Brawner replied at that time that “that is not our job. Our job is to protect the Republic of the Philippines, protect its people, defend our territory, and defend our sovereignty and our sovereign rights.”
On Saturday, Brawner reiterated that the military would remain professional.
“We try to keep out of that,” the military chief said. “We trust in the system and we trust the President with his powers, with his veto powers.”
Renewed attempts to paint a picture of military discontent and instability reemerged after Congress submitted to President Marcos its P6.235-trillion budget for 2025 for signing into law.
Both houses of Congress has not released copies of the enrolled budget bill, but the House supposedly cut P15 billion from the AFP budget.
The Senate supposedly restored the cut funds, but also increased the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways, tagged as a source or channel of pork barrel funds.
The President was supposed to sign the enrolled bill on Dec. 20, but postponed it “to allow more time for a rigorous and exhaustive review of a measure that will determine the course of the nation for the next year,” according to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
The President himself said: “There were a lot of changes from the budget request of the different departments and we have to put it back in the same shape that we had first requested.”
Despite these issues, Brawner said in his speech at the AFP anniversary on Friday that the military would ensure that the “armed forces remain capable of safeguarding our nation amidst evolving geopolitical and environmental challenges.”
According to him, the AFP would remain “undaunted in asserting our sovereignty” in the West Philippine Sea.
“With modernized tools and strategic international partnerships, we carry on in strengthening our maritime presence, securing our exclusive economic zone, and upholding the principles of international law,” he said.
“This mission goes beyond defending territorial claims. It is about preserving ideals that define us as a nation,” he added.