The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday, Oct. 24, vowed to protect the Constitution amid recent calls from some groups urging the military to intervene in political affairs amid alleged corruption issues hounding the country’s infrastructure projects.

AFP Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. made the commitment following reports of individuals calling on the military to “take action” amid public protests denouncing reported corruption in flood control and other infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“Poprotektahan po natin ang ating bayan, ang Constitution, at ang duly constituted authorities,” Brawner said in a radio interview over DZRH, where he emphasized the military’s commitment to uphold democratic institutions and the chain of command.

He warned that such appeals, if acted upon, could lead to destabilization and severely damage the country’s economy and international reputation.

"Kung ang Armed Forces ay makikialam katulad ng experience sa EDSA 1 at EDSA Dos, tatlong bagay lang: either kudeta; withdrawal of support from the President na nakita natin noong nagwithdraw si General [Angelo] Angie Reyes na Chief of Staff noong panahon ni dating Pangulong [Joseph] Estrada; at military junta, (If the Armed Forces were to intervene, as in the experiences of EDSA 1 and EDSA Dos, there are only three possible outcomes: either a coup d’état; a withdrawal of support from the President as we saw when General [Angelo] Angie Reyes, then Chief of Staff, withdrew support from former President [Joseph] Estrada; or a military junta),” Brawner explained.

He said the Philippine National Police (PNP) is currently studying possible charges against retired generals and other individuals who have been urging the military to withdraw its support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Addressing concerns about supposed restiveness within the ranks, Brawner clarified that the AFP remains “solid and professional.”

“Okay naman po ang Armed Forces (The Armed Forces is okay). We remain solid, we remain disciplined, we remain professional. Naiintindihan ko po ang damdamin ng ating mga sundalo at mga officers dahil ako mismo ay galit rin sa corruption (I understand the sentiments of our soldiers and officers because I myself am also angry at corruption),” he said.

He reiterated that the AFP shares the public’s frustration over corruption but stressed that the military must not be dragged into political issues. “Nananawagan ako sa ating mga kababayan na huwag idamay ang Armed Forces sa politika (I am calling on our fellow Filipinos not to involve the Armed Forces in politics). Please shield the AFP from the political environment,” he added.

Brawner said the AFP continues to monitor the situation closely and maintains open communication with troops through information drives and regular camp visits to strengthen morale and discipline.

He stressed that the government is already addressing corruption through legal and institutional processes, citing ongoing investigations by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Inter-Agency Committee on Infrastructure (ICI).

Meanwhile, Brawner reiterated that the AFP is ready to assist the government in flood control and infrastructure projects, but only in a supervisory and oversight capacity.

Brawner explained that while many have called for the transfer of flood control responsibilities to the AFP due to public trust in military engineers, the organization is currently shifting its focus toward territorial defense and combat engineering.

“Sa ngayon, dahil nagtatransition tayo sa combat engineers, nag-commit po kami kay [DPWH] Secretary Vince Dizon na tutulong ang ating engineers pero in the aspect of supervision and oversight katulad sa pagplano ng proyekto (For now, since we are transitioning to combat engineers, we have committed to [DPWH] Secretary Vince Dizon that our engineers will assist but only in the aspect of supervision and oversight, such as in project planning),” he said.

He noted that the AFP’s engineer units, once primarily focused on construction in remote areas, are now being repurposed to fulfill crucial defense roles such as building fortifications, bridges, and other structures necessary for combat operations and disaster response.

At present, there are five engineering brigades in the Philippine Army (PA), and one brigade each in the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and Philippine Navy (PN).

Brawner acknowledged that the military has a strong track record in infrastructure development, citing past projects completed by AFP engineers under the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) during Dizon’s tenure. “Even Secretary Dizon himself said he was impressed with the quality and speed of work done by our military engineers,” Brawner added.

However, the AFP chief emphasized that while the military will lend its expertise to public infrastructure projects to ensure quality and transparency, it will not take over civilian functions. “Our role is to guide, monitor, and help in planning, not to replace the implementing agencies,” he said.

Calls were mounting for the AFP to take on a larger role in national infrastructure projects, especially flood control, following reports of irregularities and inefficiencies in government construction programs.

Brawner assured the public that the AFP remains ready to contribute its technical expertise whenever called upon while maintaining its primary focus on national security and defense preparedness.