Brawner denies ouster plot, warns coup would ‘set PH back years’

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. — Photo from AFP Public Affairs Office

MANILA, Philippines — Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Friday denied claims that the military was plotting with retired generals and religious groups to oust President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., warning that any coup attempt would only destabilize the country and reverse democratic gains.

“The coup rumors are not true. I myself was surprised when I saw the article,” Brawner said at a news forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.

He was referring to a column by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Manny Mogato alleging that a retired general and a large religious group had sought to convince an Army commander to withdraw support from Marcos.

Brawner said he confronted the journalist, who identified him as the officer cited in the piece.

“If you’re referring to me, I can tell you directly that I did not talk to any religious group. I did not plan a coup d’état with the secretary of national defense directed by the CIA,” he said, referring to the US Central Intelligence Agency.

The AFP chief urged journalists to verify claims with the military before publication, noting that such reports could cause alarm both domestically and abroad.

READ: AFP denies coup rumors linking CIA, Teodoro to oust Marcos

‘Litmus test’

Brawner admitted that during the September 21 protests marking the 52nd anniversary of martial law, some groups openly called for the AFP to intervene.

He said placards and speeches at the rally urged the military to withdraw support from Marcos, while some retired officers attempted to reach out to younger commanders.

“There were recruitment activities, sad to say, by some retired officers trying to reach out to younger officers, to commanders, even to me,” Brawner said. “But there were no such events or activities that transpired. The AFP stood its ground.”

He described the protests as a “litmus test” for the military’s professionalism.

“We came out victorious because none of our members heeded those calls,” he added.

READ: AFP dismisses destabilization, coup plots vs administration

Lessons from past coups

Brawner drew parallels to the military uprisings of the 1980s, including the 1989 coup attempt against then-President Corazon Aquino, which he described as “the bloodiest” in recent history.

“In 1989, we saw soldier against soldier, brother against brother, fighting,” he said. “We don’t want this to happen again. We will not allow that to happen again.”

He warned that any attempt to topple the government would “set the Philippines back several years,” scaring away investors, disrupting livelihoods and undermining institutions.

Unlike in the past, when coups were directed against sitting presidents, Brawner said today’s situation is different because it is Marcos himself who is leading the push against corruption.

“Before, the coups were against the president. Now it is the president who is pointing out corruption,” Brawner said, adding that Marcos had given the AFP his full trust in cleaning up government projects.

Professionalism and reform

The general said today’s AFP is far more disciplined and united than in the past, pointing to reforms under the AFP Transformation Roadmap, which he credited with reducing military adventurism and strengthening accountability.

“You can be proud of your Armed Forces of the Philippines because we are a very professional and disciplined organization,” Brawner said.

He noted that grievances from some retired officers centered on corruption but emphasized that the AFP was actively addressing the issue through inspections of public works projects. Out of thousands of projects reviewed nationwide, he said, several ghost projects had already been identified and reported to authorities.

He said troop morale remained high, adding that soldiers were “angry at what is happening to our country” but “one with the people and with the President in the fight against corruption.”

READ: Ex-generals disown Marcos ouster calls, vow to defend Constitution

Brawner said he had informed Marcos about the calls for military intervention.

“He just said, ‘I trust the AFP. I trust you to do the right thing,’” the general said.

He also suggested that some of the coup rumors online could be linked to disinformation campaigns.

“That is a very big possibility, because we know the propensity of China to spread misinformation. We see this every day in the West Philippine Sea,” Brawner said.

Despite the rumors, he stressed that the AFP would not be swayed.

“We believe that military intervention in any form is not the solution to the challenges we face as a country,” Brawner said. /das