AFP eyeing background checks on 2025 poll bets

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff  Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. (PHOTO FROM PAOO – AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is eyeing to conduct intelligence operations to check on the background of candidates in the 2025 midterm elections. 

AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. said they plan to report the results of the operations to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), especially information on candidates with “red flags.”

“Ang isa pong tinitingnan ng AFP ngayon is through our intelligence operations, tinitingnan po natin yung mga kandidato, lahat po ng mga kandidato, tinitingnan po natin yung kanilang background, so meron po tayong background check and pag meron po kaming nakita ano na red flags ay we will inform the Comelec about this,” Brawner said in a press conference on Thursday. 

(One of the things the AFP is looking at right now is conducting intelligence operations, wherein we will check the candidates and and look at their backgrounds. And if we see any red flags we will inform the Comelec about this.)

“We are in collaboration with the PNP and also with the Comelec to prevent these kinds of things from happening again, so pina-paigting po natin yung dating intelligence operations,” he added.

(… so we are intensifying our intelligence operations.)

In the same briefing, Brawner bared that they are currently addressing concerns surrounding private armed groups, “peace spoilers,” New People’s Army’s permit to campaign and permit to win. 

On election day, Brawner disclosed that Comelec tasked them to deploy troops and assets to support the commission in its duties. 

The AFP will also ensure the safe transport of election materials and protection of poll personnel, along with the police force under the supervision and direction of the Comelec.