Marcos to AFP: Don't stand idle amid domestic threats

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said Wednesday that the Philippine military should not be idle amidst threats in society.

Marcos said this during the oath-taking ceremony of the newly promoted generals and flag officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and graduates of foreign pre-commissioned training institutions.

He underscored that amid challenges and pressures brought by disinformation campaigns, the AFP should ''hold the line.'' 

''Our nation continues to face challenges and pressures aimed at weakening our social foundations. From disinformation campaigns to ideological radicalization, these domestic threats seek to sow confusion and division among us,'' Marcos said in his speech.

''We must not -- we will not stand idle in the face of such threats. This is where your role in the AFP becomes indispensable—to hold the line and do it with resolve, with clarity, and loyalty to your constitutional duty,'' he added. 

Marcos said that as the commander-in-chief, he stands in line with the AFP in every trial, in every mission, and in every step taken for our great Republic.

He urged the newly promoted leaders: ''More than carrying a new rank, you also carry the weight of our people’s trust.''

''Lead with courage, not comfort. Serve with vision, not with vanity. Let every decision you make and every command that you give be anchored in integrity, in discipline, and in duty,'' Marcos said. 

Marcos also mentioned that the country continues to rely on the AFP's vital role in rescue and relief efforts following the onslaught of Typhoon Opong and the deadly earthquake that struck Cebu.

''I think that the situation that -- we just came from Masbate and that we are going to go to now in Cebu will highlight the importance of the work that you do beyond what you would call combat operations. Your men and women were among the first to respond to the affected communities,'' he said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News