Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Friday, May 15, firmly dismissed concerns that recent political instability and a shooting incident at the Senate have caused friction within the military, asserting that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) remains professionally insulated from partisan noise.

Speaking during the 45th anniversary of the 5th Infantry Division (5ID) in Gamu, Isabela, Teodoro addressed calls from certain groups—including those linked to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) "Sinagtala" class of Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa—for the military to take a stand.

“Well, that probably will influence those who are retired for political support, but those in the ranks are professionals, and this will not affect them,” Teodoro said.

Earlier, some members of PMA “Sinagtala” Class of 1986 expressed support for their classmate, Senator dela Rosa, amid ongoing political controversy surrounding him. In a statement, the group said they would stand with Dela Rosa and would not stay silent while his name was being challenged.

Dela Rosa is facing a warrant of arrest for his role in the previous administration’s bloody drug war, which killed thousands of drug suspects, mostly petty ones. The warrant was supposed to be served on May 11, when Dela Rosa appeared at the Senate after a six-month absence, when the Senate leadership changed.

However, newly-designated Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano insisted that Dela Rosa was under the protective custody of the Senate, prompting members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to withhold the issuance of the warrant.

Two days later, on May 13, members of the NBI and the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms figured in a firefight at the Senate premises, triggering a tense situation.

The following day, on May 14, Dela Rosa escaped from the Senate and went into hiding once more.

Meanwhile, Teodoro clarified that appeals for the AFP’s intervention by some groups after the shooting incident rely on a “gross and mistaken misinterpretation” of the military’s role as the protector of the people.

"Now, ‘yung mga panawagan sa armed forces na pag-aaklas or what not from any party, that has no basis in law and the use of the Constitution na the armed forces is the protector. There is no operative procedure for that. It is just a statement that the armed forces must remain apolitical,” the defense chief added.

Teodoro noted that the AFP has learned the "lessons of improper meddling" in politics from previous decades.

Regarding the Senate shooting and the subsequent evasion of Senator Dela Rosa, Teodoro categorized these strictly as “law enforcement issues” rather than national security threats.

“That’s a law enforcement issue. There's a big distinction between a political and law enforcement issue, and a military issue and a national defense issue,” Teodoro said.

The defense chief also explained that the Marine contingent deployed to the Senate during the shooting incident was not involved in the shootout, but were strictly for “physical security” and were not used as “instruments of law enforcement.”

While Teodoro admitted he does not ignore the potential impact of political noise on the country's broader stability, he maintained that the "security climate" within the armed ranks remains steady.

“Hindi ko naman inaalis na wala itong epekto sa stability climate ng ating bansa. Hindi ko naman sinasabi ‘yun. Pero sa hanay ng aming departamento at AFP, ito ay hindi nakaka-apekto sa propesyunalismo at tutok ng ating mga kawani,” Teodoro concluded.

Meanwhile, AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo S. Brawner Jr. visited the Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija on May 14 to reinforce his message of institutional stability.

During his visit to the elite unit, Brawner reminded soldiers to stay focused on their duties despite the "evolving security challenges" facing the nation.

“Continue doing good service for our country. Be proud of the uniform you wear and always be loyal to our Constitution, our people, our organization, our country and our flag,” Brawner told the Special Forces operators.