Unrest in Philippine military? Ire of old guard could spell trouble for Marcos

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr (right) rides beside military chief General Romeo Brawner Jnr as he reviews troops during the 89th anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines at military headquarters Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on December 20, 2024. Photo: AP

Raissa Robles

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is facing growing unrest from retired generals, with some veterans even urging active commanders to withdraw support for the president, according to multiple senior military sources.

At the centre of the discontent are two flashpoints: allegations that billions of Philippine pesos have been lost to fictitious flood-control projects and proposed pension changes that former officers say would leave them worse off than their civilian counterparts.

The controversy has sparked what insiders describe as a quiet but serious push by some military retirees – including those allegedly aligned with former president Rodrigo Duterte – to pressure the armed forces’ top brass into turning against Marcos.

Two senior officers, speaking on condition of anonymity, told This Week in Asia that retired air force major general Romeo Poquiz, described as “allegedly with the Duterte group”, recently met Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jnr to persuade him – and other active commanders – to abandon Marcos.

The effort, the officials said, was ultimately rejected.

“He spoke to General Brawner before the rallies on September 21,” one officer said, adding that Brawner rejected their call to withdraw his support for the president.

Source : SCMP