General Romeo Brawner Jr., chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), called on the leadership of the religious group Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) to police their own ranks and ensure the safety and discipline of their members during the religious group’s planned rally in Metro Manila from Nov. 16 to 18.

Speaking in an ambush interview in Camp Aguinaldo, Brawner said the AFP was taking seriously reports that certain individuals may attempt to infiltrate the gatherings. He warned that such scenarios could place peaceful participants at risk.

“As far as we are concerned, these rallies are peaceful rallies. We hope they remain truly peaceful because that is what the organizers have promised. But we are calling on them to secure and police their own ranks to make sure no one slips in,” he said.

The military chief confirmed that the AFP has received reports of possible infiltration by violent groups, like what happened during the September 21 protest in Mendiola and Ayala Bridge in Manila where some protesters hurled Molotov cocktails at the riot police and burned public properties.

“We and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have been receiving reports that there may be infiltrators, and that someone might even set off a grenade. That is frightening. Our peace-loving fellow citizens could get hurt in situations like that,” Brawner said.

“We are working with the Philippine National Police, which is investigating this, and as mentioned, the Philippine National Police as well as the Armed Forces of the Philippines will be deploying personnel to ensure the safety of those who will go to and join the rallies,” Brawner said.

He stressed the importance of internal security measures by the organizers, noting that the first line of defense against disruptions often comes from within the ranks of rally participants themselves.

The AFP chief reiterated that the military is not on red alert and sees no immediate threat of unrest tied to ongoing political noise and rally preparations.

Further, Brawner also assured the public that soldiers remain disciplined and professional as he brushed aside calls circulating on social media urging the military to join rallies or support unconstitutional actions.

“Do not expect the Armed Forces of the Philippines to engage in unconstitutional activities, nor will we resort to unconstitutional means to bring about change. We will stick to the rule of law and we will not violate it. We will not stage a coup d'état, we will not form a military junta, because it is our country that will suffer if we do that,” he said.

The INC is set to stage a massive three-day “Rally for Transparency, Accountability, Justice and Peace” from Nov. 16 to 18 in Metro Manila. Organizers said the event aims to amplify public calls for a transparent investigation into allegedly anomalous government flood-control and climate-related projects.

According to the INC, the rally is open not only to members of the religious organization but to all citizens who share the same call for accountability. The religious group said the gathering seeks to raise awareness on public concerns surrounding more than a trillion pesos in funds reportedly lost to corruption in various projects since 2023.

The INC appealed for a “just and open investigation” into all individuals allegedly involved in flood control anomalies as it notedthat accountability is needed to ensure stolen public funds are recovered.

A formal program is slated for opening day on Nov. 16, beginning at 4 p.m. at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. The rally has secured necessary permits from both local and national authorities while security forces, including the PNP and AFP, are preparing deployments to ensure the safety of participants throughout the three-day event.