Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Thursday expressed the military’s commitment to ensuring safe and orderly midterm elections this year, urging Filipinos to vote for candidates who will serve the country and society.
Brawner made this pledge during a joint press conference held at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Command Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City, presided over by Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair George Erwin Garcia. Also present was PNP head Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil.
In the briefing, all three agencies reiterated their commitment to seeing to it that the MayNational, Local, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao parliamentary elections will be safe and orderly.
“Together, they outlined the government’s comprehensive security measures to safeguard the electoral process and ensure the integrity of the elections,” the AFP said in a statement.
The AFP, PNP, and Comelec are all working in close coordination to ensure that the 2025 elections will be conducted in a secure environment so that Filipino voters can exercise their right to vote freely and without fear.
Brawner also highlighted the readiness of the AFP to deploy both personnel and resources for election-related operations.
“He stressed the importance of the Joint Security Control Centers, a vital initiative aimed at enhancing coordination between the AFP, PNP, and Comelec,” the AFP said.
Coup, military junta not a solution
Meanwhile, Brawner said calls for a military coup d’état or military junta do not solve societal issues.
He urged all Filipinos to trust in the democratic process and use the upcoming elections as a platform to express their concerns and hopes for the future.
“Maraming mga problema ang ating bayan, minsan ang naiisip na lang nilang solusyon ay ang military kudeta or military junta. Hindi po ito ang solusyon (The country has a lot of problems, and sometimes the only solution being thought about by other people is a military coup or military junta. This is not a solution),” Brawner said.
He also reiterated that elections should be the focal point for change and societal progress.
Brawner noted that elections offer an opportunity for citizens to voice their concerns through their votes, encouraging them to choose leaders who would work to correct societal issues.
“Our call to the people is to use this election as a platform to express our desires by voting for the right individuals who will serve the country and our society,” he added.
Intensification of intel gathering to ensure poll integrity
The AFP said that intensification of its intelligence gathering operation is aimed at helping the Comelec ensure poll integrity.
“The AFP would like to clarify that its intensification of intelligence gathering is geared towards helping the Comelec ensure the integrity of the electoral process and safeguard national security. This initiative is conducted in coordination with the Comelec and PNP, and focuses on identifying potential security threats arising from foreign interference and malign influence,” said AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad.
He added that any findings will be confidentially relayed to the Comelec for appropriate action.
“The AFP’s role is strictly non-partisan. Our efforts are anchored on impartiality and respect for the democratic process. We hope this clarification provides the proper context to prevent misinterpretation of our actions or statements,” Trinidad said. (Priam Nepomuceno, PNA)
