Military-Veteran Tensions: AFP Warns of Disinformation Campaign

Military authorities in the Philippines have raised an alarm over what they describe as a coordinated disinformation campaign designed to create divisions between active military personnel and veterans, a high-ranking naval official disclosed Tuesday.

Speaking during a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, warned that unknown actors are attempting to manipulate retired military personnel through deliberate misinformation.

“Recently, there was an attempt to agitate some of our MUP (military uniformed personnel) retirees, organize them, and eventually mobilize them,” Trinidad stated, suggesting these efforts are part of a broader strategy to undermine military credibility and weaken national unity.

While Trinidad did not identify specific individuals or groups behind these alleged campaigns, his statements come amid growing tensions following controversies surrounding “ghost” flood control projects that have sparked corruption allegations against government officials. The situation has been further complicated by viral social media claims regarding the alleged removal of pensions for retired Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel.

Trinidad drew parallels between these domestic disinformation tactics and those employed by China in its territorial disputes with the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea. “We call on our MUP retirees to help protect their ranks from certain individuals who deliberately distort the truth for their own ulterior motives,” he urged.

The rear admiral’s comments reflect growing concerns within military leadership about information warfare targeting both external and internal security matters. “We call on all Filipinos to be cautious so as not to fall victim to disinformation, whether in the maritime domain or in the internal setting,” Trinidad emphasized.

This warning comes after some retired military officials reportedly called for withdrawing support from the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. amid the flood control project scandal, which has become a significant political controversy in recent months.

The military has moved quickly to counter these developments. Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, chief of the AFP Public Affairs Office, previously dismissed rumors of destabilization plots within military ranks. The AFP has also issued statements cautioning against partisan exploitation of military personnel, reaffirming its constitutional mandate and chain-of-command loyalty.

President Marcos has responded to the underlying corruption allegations by establishing an independent fact-finding commission through Executive Order 94. The commission is tasked with investigating alleged irregularities in government flood control and other infrastructure projects that sparked the initial controversy.

The situation highlights the increasingly complex information environment facing the Philippines, where social media platforms can rapidly amplify unverified claims and potentially destabilize civil-military relations. Military analysts note that disinformation campaigns targeting security forces have become more sophisticated globally, often blending legitimate grievances with manufactured controversies.

For the Philippine military, which has historically played significant roles in political transitions, maintaining cohesion between active and retired personnel represents a critical security concern. The AFP has been working to modernize its forces while navigating the complex geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea, making institutional unity particularly important.

Defense experts suggest that these alleged disinformation efforts could be attempting to exploit genuine concerns about military welfare and governance issues to create divisions that would benefit external actors or domestic political interests opposed to the current administration.