Manila Bulletin
Philippines
National
Marcos orders AFP to sustain external defense, monitor foreign malign influence
Philippines
National
Marcos orders AFP to sustain external defense, monitor foreign malign influence
Marcos orders AFP to sustain external defense, monitor foreign malign influence
Published Jul 8, 2026 11:46 am
Commander-in-Chief and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (center) leads the 1st Semester CY 2026 Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Command Conference with Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (to Marcos' left) and AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. (to Marcos' right), along with top military officials, on July 7, 2026 at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, providing strategic guidance as the AFP strengthens unity, readiness, and commitment to national security. (Photo: AFP)
President Marcos has ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to remain steadfast in defending the country's territory while sustaining gains in internal security and closely monitoring foreign malign influence, top defense and military officials said after a command conference with the Chief Executive at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday, July 7.
Outgoing AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Marcos attended the military's first semester command conference where the AFP presented its accomplishments and priorities for the rest of the year.
“We started with a presentation of the accomplishments of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and then we ended with the way forward, our plans moving forward,” Brawner said when asked what transpired during the closed-door meeting.
He said the President directed the military to continue external defense operations while preserving gains against communist rebels and local terrorist groups.
Brawner said Marcos also instructed the AFP to keep its internal security gains.
“He told us to continue working for internal security operations so that we will continue maintaining and sustaining our gains,” he added.
Further, the AFP chief said the President also ordered the military to focus on the “United Front Works and the foreign malign operations of China.”
“One area that we are looking into is addressing the United Front Works and the foreign malign operations of China also. That is also in line with our external security operations,” Brawner said, referring to efforts of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to influence people, organizations, and governments outside the party in ways that advance Beijing's political and strategic interests.
The command conference was held as the country marks the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China's sweeping claims in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Brawner said that many countries are watching how the Philippines responds to China's "illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive” (ICAD) tactics in the WPS.
The AFP reported to the President its continued maritime operations with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), as well as joint activities with the United States (US) and other like-minded countries to protect the country’s territorial integrity.
Asked whether the Philippines is shifting from legal and diplomatic efforts to stronger military deterrence, DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the move reflects a broader trend among many countries.
“It is not only the Philippines. Several other countries, whether they have territorial disputes or not, are actively strengthening their internal defense capabilities because of the fear of the unknown,” he said.
Teodoro explained that legal action and diplomacy alone are insufficient when it comes to dealing with China in the WPS.
“There are limits to resorting to legal strategies because legal action without hardening and without deterrence, just like diplomacy without deterrence, will result in accommodation and appeasement. That is what we do not want,” he said.
“China is increasing tensions not only here. It is happening against Japan, in several areas, even in the Arctic. We are not the only ones. The world is not immune to their expansionism,” he added.
Despite tensions, Teodoro said communication channels remain necessary although broader negotiations remain difficult.
“Carefully controlled communications are necessary. But negotiations and other activities are not possible, unfortunately, because of the lack of good faith on their part and a lack of respect for our territorial integrity,” he said.
Asked what China should do to restore trust, Teodoro replied: “Whatever they are doing right now, do not do it and get out of where they are.”
Brawner clarified that Tuesday's command conference was not connected to any loyalty check within the military.
“This is not part of any loyalty check. This is a regular occurrence. Every year we brief the President in the middle of the year and again toward the end of the year. It is not a loyalty check and there is no need for one,” he said.