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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Was Army official who withdrew support from Marcos 'influenced'? AFP seeks answers

Was Army official who withdrew support from Marcos 'influenced'? AFP seeks answers

Published Jan 12, 2026 01:39 pm
Col. Audie Mongao (Photo: Philippine Army)
Col. Audie Mongao (Photo: Philippine Army)
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday, Jan. 12, revealed that it is looking into possible outside or political influence behind a social media post by a Philippine Army (PA) officer who withdrew his support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said investigators are not ruling out any angle as they probe the actions of Army Col. Audie Mongao, whose post sparked questions about loyalty within the military ranks.
“We cannot remove any possibility. It could be foreign influence, it could be politically motivated or anything like that,” Padilla said in a radio interview over dzBB.
“With the investigation that we will be conducting, we will not leave any stone unturned because we do not want this kind of incident to happen again,” she added.
The AFP stressed that the actions of one officer do not reflect the institution as a whole as speculation abounds that other soldiers may also be withdrawing support from the Commander-in-Chief.
Padilla said loyalty in the AFP is anchored on the Constitution, the chain of command, and the Filipino people.
“Our sworn duty is not just a formality. We always assure our countrymen that this is a solemn promise of a soldier. We serve with loyalty to the Constitution, we follow the chain of command, and we put first the interest of the Filipino people,” the military spokesperson noted.
Padilla said AFP members may have personal views on political issues, corruption, or national concerns such as the West Philippine Sea. However, she clarified that the expression of these views are limited once a soldier wears the uniform.
“We are also human. If we have personal opinions and personal perspectives, we have those individually. But when we wear the uniform, we agreed and took an oath to live a regimented life,” she explained.
“What we can say in public will be guided by rules and regulations, including what partisan views are allowed,” she added.
Read: Fracture within AFP? Army colonel relieved after 'withdrawing support' from Marcos
Probe begins
The AFP also confirmed that Mongao has already returned to military custody after initially being unreachable.
Padilla said Mongao was on New Year’s break when his supposed social media post about withdrawing support from Marcos surfaced online.
Mongao, who was relieved as commander of the Training Support Group under the PA’s Training Command (Tracom), voluntarily reported back to his commander, Maj. Gen. Michael Logico, commander of Tracom, on Jan. 9 after his leave ended.
An administrative investigation is now underway and Padilla said a team will determine the accuracy of the report and recommend next steps.
“This is an administrative case and so we turn it over to the ground commander. The Armed Forces of the Philippines trusts that our commanders on the ground will fulfill their obligation to conduct the proper investigation on the matter,” Padilla said.
Read: Relieved Army colonel yields after withdrawing support from Marcos

Related Tags

AFP Philippine Army Audie Mongao withdrawal of support PBBM Marcos military Commander-in-Chief
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