The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday, Nov. 18, distanced the military from allegations raised by Sen. Imee Marcos that her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is using drugs.

Acting AFP spokesperson Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said the claim of the lady lawmaker is a political dispute that should be settled through proper institutions.

“We do not engage in political disputes or allegations. These matters should be resolved through appropriate legal and institutional mechanisms and not public confrontation,” he said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

During the second day of the anti-corruption protest of religious organization Iglesia Ni Cristo (NC) at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Monday night, Nov. 17, Senator Marcos claimed that Marcos is a “drug addict.”

Trinidad was pressed on the senator’s claims as well as the renewed calls from some groups for the military to withdraw support from the Commander-in-Chief. He reiterated that the AFP would not be dragged into partisan conflicts.

“The AFP remains a professional, disciplined, and non-partisan institution committed to upholding the Constitution, constitutional processes, and safeguarding the nation's peace and security,” he said.

Further, Trinidad said the AFP monitored an “unusual” logistical support behind the weekend rally at the People Power Monument in Quezon City, where he noted that organizers again urged the military to take unconstitutional steps.

The admiral said the rally preparations appeared unusually “grand.”

“The way it was organized, the support system, the food, and the other ancillary equipment or facilities needed, it was an organized, it was grand, ika nga grande ang preparasyon (there was a grand preparation). So we are checking this,” he said.

Asked if the scale of food and equipment suggested substantial funding, Trinidad said: “Yes, without going to specific names or brands, you will be able to see based on the catering or the food provided. This will give us an indication of the support system or the funding of the activity.”

He added that investigators are looking into whether any foreign group may have helped bankroll the mobilization.

“We are checking all possible leads to ensure that domestic concerns will remain domestic and will not be influenced by foreign funding,” Trinidad noted.

Trinidad also warned about foreign interference, naming China as a state actor that aims to sow division in the Philippines.

“‘Yung ating kapitbahay is ‘yung malaking bansa (Our neighbor is that big country) being run by the Chinese Communist Party that will do everything under their means to sow discord within Philippine society. Part of their rule book is to make us fight among ourselves, to infiltrate Philippine society, and to destroy us from within,” he said.

Amid the political noise, Trinidad reminded the public that troops remain deployed nationwide for humanitarian disaster response, including in Visayas, Central Luzon, and other areas struck by recent storms.

Relatedly, the Philippine Navy (PN) said it pushed its full humanitarian and disaster response capabilities into the Visayas following the devastation of Super Typhoon “Uwan,” deploying ships, marines, and engineering teams to battered communities across the region from November 15 to 18.

Naval Forces Central (NFC), led by Commodore Joselito E. De Guzman, coordinated closely with local governments and national agencies to run simultaneous search, rescue, and retrieval (SRR) missions while sustaining the steady delivery of relief supplies to isolated towns.

The PN’s SRR contingent, composed of units from the Philippine Marine Corps and Naval Combat Engineering Brigade, worked together to reopen blocked routes, inspect damaged homes, and continue searching for missing residents.

In Balamban, Cebu, the team conducted extensive post-typhoon response operations and rehabilitation, clearing debris with heavy equipment to restore access for relief convoys and local travel.

At sea, PN ship BRP Bacolod City (LS550) transported roughly 11 tons of assorted donated goods for the Visayas as the NFC oversaw loading and coordinated its departure to maintain a constant flow of aid.

BRP Enrique Jurado (PC371) sailed to San Francisco, Camotes Islands, on November 16 to deliver supplies to some of the hardest-hit areas.

Two more vessels, BRP Filipino Flojo (PC386) and BRP Rafael Pargas (PC379), were placed on standby to continue aid missions to Homonhon Island in Eastern Samar, Bago City in Negros Occidental, and Malalison Island in Antique.