Push Admin

Marcos has military's ‘full support’ over amnesty for rebels: AFP chief

Article (news)

Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. troops the line with Philippine Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Romeo S. Brawner, Jr. during 126th Philippine Army Founding Anniversary celebration at the Philippines Army headquarters, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on March 22, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/12/06/20230322-marcos-ph-army-126th-anniversary-jc0807.jpg"/><figcaption>President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. troops the line with Philippine Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Romeo S. Brawner, Jr. during 126th Philippine Army Founding Anniversary celebration at the Philippines Army headquarters, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on March 22, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday said it was giving its &quot;full support&quot; to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following his recent grant of <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/24/23/marcos-grants-amnesty-to-former-rebels" target="_blank">amnesty</a> to former communist rebels. “Solid… full support kami kay Presidente,” AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner.Brawner made the statement after media reports quoted him as having said that some soldiers shared the stance of Vice President Sara Duterte, who recently urged Marcos to review his amnesty proclamations and opposed an agreement to restart peace talks with communist rebels. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/04/23/vp-sara-resuming-peace-talks-with-reds-an-agreement-with-the-devil">VP Duterte tells Marcos: Resuming peace talks with communist rebels an &#x27;agreement with the devil&#x27;</a></li></ul>Brawner declined to elaborate on the reports, saying: “Huwag na, para hindi ma-divide.” “Tignan niyo yung buo (yung interview), kasi parang ki-nut lang e. Tignan niyo yung buo,” he said. Meanwhile, the President&#x27;s sister Sen. Imee Marcos said the peace talks should be reconsidered.“Yes,” Sen. Marcos said, when asked if she shared Duterte’s view. “that’s the short answer. I’ll give you a statement when I’m ready.”“Medyo nalilito pa rin ako sa peace talk na yan pagkat narinig naman natin si [National Democratic Front negotiator Luis] Jalandoni na nagsaad na kahit may peace talk ay mananatili pa rin ang mithiin nila, ang goal nila na ibagsak ang pamahalaan. Bakit ganoon? Nag-peace talk ka pa?” the senator added. The last time peace talks were held was during the administration of the Vice President&#x27;s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte -- a self-declared socialist and a former student of Jose Maria Sison, who launched the decades-long insurgency.The peace talks under the previous administration devolved into threats and recrimination, with Duterte officially cutting them off in 2017, declaring the group a terrorist organization and accusing them of killing police and soldiers while negotiations were underway. The ongoing armed struggle, launched in 1969, grew out of the global communist movement and found fertile soil for recruitment among the Philippines&#x27; rural poor.At its peak in the 1980s, the group boasted about 26,000 fighters, a number the military says has now dwindled to less than 2,000.Successive Philippine administrations have held peace talks with the communists through their Netherlands-based political arm, the NDF. The latest effort followed informal discussions in the Netherlands and Norway that began in 2022 and were facilitated by the Norwegian government, officials told reporters in Manila. Brawner earlier said the resumption of talks was &quot;very good news for us&quot;.&quot;If this conflict will finally end, your Armed Forces of the Philippines will be able to shift our focus to external or territorial defense,&quot; Brawner said.But until there was a &quot;final agreement&quot;, he said the military would &quot;continue our operations against the New People&#x27;s Army&quot;, the armed wing of the Philippines&#x27; communist party.<div>— With a report from Agence France-Presse</div>

The AFP said it was giving its 'full support' to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following his recent grant of amnesty to former communist rebels. 

Marcos has military's ‘full support’ over amnesty for rebels: AFP chief

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

News

Marcos has military's ‘full support’ over amnesty for rebels: AFP chief

Willard Cheng,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 06, 2023 05:37 PM PHT

Read More:

peace talks

communist rebels

Sara Duterte

Marcos Jr

Bongbong Marcos

AFP

Brawner

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.