The Philippine Army Rejects Coup Calls and Affirms Support for the Constitution

Philippine Army Chief General Romeo Brawner confirmed today that the military institution rejects any attempts to intervene in political affairs and to overthrow President Ferdinand Marcos, at a time when the streets of Manila witnessed protests against government corruption last month.

Brawner explained that some retired officers attempted to contact him and younger officers to push the army to intervene in politics, including suggestions to carry out a military coup or form a military council to reset society, or even withdraw support from the current president. He affirmed that all these attempts were met with complete rejection.

The Philippine leader noted that he met with a group of retired officers led by former General Romeo Bocois, known for his criticisms of President Marcos, where they expressed their complaints about what they described as the spread of corruption in the government. Brawner added that the military institution is "cohesive and solid" in its support for the constitution, and that he informed the president about the recruitment attempts and conspiracies.

This comes in a sensitive historical context, as the army withdrew its support from the current president's father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., in 1986, leading to a peaceful popular revolution that ousted the regime and later continued coup attempts that shook the emerging Philippine democracy.