The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) clarified Wednesday, March 19, that it has not issued any guidance prohibiting civilian families or relatives of military personnel from posting political sentiments on social media.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has not issued any guidance restricting the freedom of expression of civilians, including the families of military personnel, on social media,” said Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, chief of AFP public affairs office.
He said the military remains dedicated to transparency, professionalism, and constructive engagement with its personnel and the public.
Trinidad made the remarks after a supposed memorandum order from the Philippine Army’s (PA) 10th Infantry Division (10ID) circulated on social media. The memo dated March 17, 2025 claimed that AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. has directed unit commanders and chiefs of offices to remind their personnel, including their dependents, to “avoid unnecessary posting/commenting on social media regarding current political situation and just focus on their respective job/task/mission.”
Another supposed statement coming from dependents of Army personnel (Army Ladies' Club) also made the rounds on social media, asserting their right to freedom of expression since “most of us are not government employees, which makes us civilians outside the chain of command.”
The memo and the dependents' statement were posted on Facebook by an account named “SirGen TheLion” on Tuesday, along with criticisms directed towards General Brawner for allegedly suppressing the freedom of expression of civilian kin of military personnel.
The AFP did not respond if steps have been taken to identify the account owner of the subjected Facebook page.
Trinidad, however, asserted that the AFP upholds the right to freedom of expression for all citizens.
“We encourage responsible online engagement and critical evaluation of information to mitigate the spread of disinformation,” he noted.
He also said that General Brawner visited various AFP units recently but noted the visits were focused on reinforcing the importance of professionalism, discipline, and mission focus among the military personnel.
Since January, Brawner has visited at least three military headquarters outside Camp Aguinaldo.
He was at the headquarters of the Army's 402nd Infantry Brigade in Bancasi, Butuan City, which is under the 4th Infantry Division (4ID), last Feb. 28; at 9th Infantry Division’s (9ID) Camp Elias Angeles in San Jose, Pili, Camarines Sur on Jan. 29; and at the Western Mindanao Command’s (Westmincom) Camp General Basilio Navarro in Zamboanga City on Jan. 23.
“These internal engagements are vital for strengthening the AFP's core values and operational effectiveness,” Trinidad said.
'Resign before expressing political sentiments'
Meanwhile, Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala did not mince his words in warning PA personnel not to engage in partisan politics.
“The Philippine Army is a non-partisan institution, and its personnel must refrain from engaging in any political activities, expressing political statements, or promoting political views. They need to resign first before they can express their sentiments for us to protect the organization as the last bastion of stability,” he said in a strongly-worded statement.
He said that as members of the Philippine Army, the troops are entrusted with the responsibility to serve and protect the nation with the utmost dedication, discipline, and professionalism.
“It is imperative that we remain focused on our duty to safeguard the sovereignty of our country, without becoming entangled in partisan politics,” he stressed.