Brawner's video call with Romualdez, Co explained by AFP
Published Nov 17, 2025 03:21 pm
Then House Speaker Martin Romualdez (left) sits beside former House Appropriations Chair Rep. Zaldy Co as they talked via video call to a man presumed to be Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. in a clip uploaded on Romualdez' Facebook page on DEc. 11, 2024. According to the AFP, the clip was being “deliberately distorted” to push a false narrative that the military had been “bought,” “controlled,” or “compromised.” It explained that the video was recorded at the time Congress approved the long-pending increase in the subsistence allowance of soldiers, from P150 to P350 per day, and has no link to current political issues. (Courtesy of Romualdez/Facebook)
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday, Nov. 17, addressed renewed controversy over a resurfaced 2024 video call involving then House Speaker Martin Romualdez, then House Appropriations Chair Rep. Zaldy Co, and military chief General Romeo Brawner Jr.
According to the AFP, an old clip was being “deliberately distorted” to push a false narrative that the military had been “bought,” “controlled,” or “compromised.”
In the 2:19-minute long video posted on the Facebook page of Romualdez, he can be seen sitting beside Co as they talked via video call to an unseen man presumed to be Brawner.
The AFP said that the video was recorded at the time Congress approved the long-pending increase in the subsistence allowance of soldiers, from P150 to P350 per day, and has no link to current political issues.
The AFP emphasized that the initiative to raise the allowance began in December 2023, when President Marcos Jr. personally asked Brawner what immediate assistance could be extended to troops.
Brawner replied: “Sir, maybe we can increase the subsistence allowance of the soldiers. The P150 per day is no longer enough for their meals.” The President answered: “Let’s work on that.”
The AFP said that following Marcos’ directive, coordination moved through the Presidential son and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos, which reached Co and Romualdez to ensure the increase was properly included in the 2025 national budget.
“There was no political bargaining, no exchange of favors, and no compromise of institutional integrity,” AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said.
However, online content creators were reposting the video and adding political commentaries, accusing Brawner of collusion with Romualdez and Co, both of whom were tagged in the alleged flood control corruption, without offering further proof.
Romualdez has since resigned as House Speaker while Co went into hiding and also quit as the representative of the Ako Bicol Partylist due to allegations of flood control corruption. Both of them denied being involved in corruption.
The AFP said that Brawner’s expression of gratitude toward lawmakers for supporting a reform, as seen in the video, “does not, in any form, give anyone control over the Armed Forces.”
“The AFP’s loyalty has never been dictated by political personalities. Its integrity does not hinge on who assists in delivering much-needed improvements for its people. The AFP’s mandate is—and always will be—anchored solely on the Constitution and the Filipino people,” Trinidad stressed.
The AFP also highlighted the importance of the allowance increase, saying it was “earned by our personnel through years of sacrifice, hardship, and unwavering commitment to duty.” It noted that the additional P200 a day translates to a fuller meal, basic hygiene items, and modest relief amid deployments.
“Turning this into a political narrative of control reveals not just malice but a profound lack of respect for the uniform, the service, and the sacrifices represented by every stripe and insignia,” Trinidad stressed.
The AFP warned groups it accused of “irresponsibly weaponizing an old video to sow distrust and destabilize institutions” to stop dragging the military into political conflict.
“The dignity, loyalty, courage, and integrity of the Filipino soldier cannot be bought—not now, not ever,” Trinidad said, adding that the Armed Forces “stands firm, united, and unshakeable” in its mandate.
The issue on flood control corruption has reached new heights after Co claimed Marcos was the mastermind behind it all, an allegation vehemently denied by Malacañan.
Because of this, public anger has boiled anew, sending half a million protesters from the religious organization Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) marching on the streets for a three-day protest from Nov. 16 to 18 to call for accountability over the wasted funds, especially in light of two devastating typhoons, "Uwan" and "Tino", that have claimed nearly 300 lives.