Camille Naredo

Article (news)

PH Army

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768022763450601817349_867296855675807_3966056410908199561_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Col. Audie Mongao. Training Command, Philippine Army handout photo"/>Col. Audie Mongao. Training Command, Philippine Army handout photo</div>MANILA (UPDATED) — Col. Audie Mongao of the Army Training Command, the military official who has been relieved over a supposed social media message announcing his withdrawal of support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., will be afforded due process, the Palace said.Marcos Jr., as president, is commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.&quot;Nakikinig at nagmamatyag ang Pangulo. Kung sinoman ang may dapat na may panagutan, ebidensya ang gamitin. Due process ang pairalin at ang kung ano ang sinasabi ng batas iyon ang ipapatupad,&quot; Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, a lawyer, said Friday.(The president is listening and keeping an eye on this. Whoever should be held liable, should be held liable by evidence. Due process must be followed and what the law says should be implemented.)<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/9/army-relieves-colonel-over-alleged-withdrawal-of-support-for-marcos-2019">Army relieves colonel over alleged withdrawal of support for Marcos</a></div>Castro reiterated this sentiment in an interview with ABS-CBN News on Saturday.&quot;Ang pangulo naman kung anong nangyayari dito nakikinig, nagmamatyag, at kung ano po ang sinasabi ng batas, due process ang pairalin. Kung ano po ang kailangang ipataw, kung may kaparusahan man po ito dapat lang po ay kung ano ang naaayon sa batas,&quot; she said.&quot;Hindi po basta-basta mag-uutos ang pangulo nang kahit anuman po kung hindi ito naaayon sa batas.&quot;Mongao was relieved from the Army TRACOM&#x27;s Training Support Group for the message he allegedly sent during the New Year break.He is now on &quot;attached/unassigned status to give way for a thorough investigation by Training Command,&quot; the Philippine Army said Friday.Maj. Gen. Michael Logico, TRACOM commander, said an investigation is already underway on Mongao. “My Command has exerted all efforts to reach out to him but has so far been unsuccessful,” Logico said. “We are still reaching out to Colonel Mongao so that we may extend to him emotional support. He is still my responsibility.”The group United People’s Initiative, which includes Philippine Air Force general Romeo Poquiz who was arrested over an inciting to sedition case linked to his alleged role in a destabilization plot against the government, earlier issued a statement supporting Mongao saying that “his words were not rebellion” but “were fidelity to the Constitution.”&quot;&#x27;Sobra na. Tama na.&#x27; These are not words of hate. They are the cry of a patriot who has given his life to the Republic,&quot; the group said, quoting Mongao’s alleged message.&quot;At a time when silence is rewarded and integrity is punished, Colonel Mongao chose to speak—not for himself but for the Filipino people worth fighting for,&quot; it added.When asked for comment, Castro surmised that Mongao and the UPI might have the same ‘aspiration’ which is to remove Marcos Jr. from the presidency, noting that the group may want to install Vice President Sara Duterte instead. “Kung ‘yun po ang sa tingin nila, ‘yun ang tingin nila. Kung ‘yun ang obserbasyon nila dahil pare-pareho naman po siguro sila ng adhikain – paalisin ang pangulo sa kanyang pwesto,” she said. “So hindi natin masisisi ang mga miyembro ng UPI dahil ‘yan naman po talaga ang target nila, mawala ang pangulo at siguro ay ipasok at iluklok bilang pangulo itong bise presidente kahit na wala pang 2028, hindi pa natatapos ang termino ng Pangulong Marcos Jr.,” the Palace official added.Public anger over corruption in flood control projects has led some to call on the uniformed services to withdraw support for Marcos Jr.Withdrawals of support from Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and Joseph Ejercito Estrada in 2001 helped bring about their removal from power.Authorities earlier this week arrested <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/5/-retired-military-officer-arrested-over-sedition-raps-0941">retired general Romeo Poquiz</a> for an inciting to sedition case for allegedly calling on the military to rise up against Marcos Jr.The AFP and the Philippine National Police have rejected these calls and have stressed the non-partisan nature of the uniformed services.

Col. Audie Mongao of the Army Training Command, the military official who has been relieved over a supposed social media message announcing his withdrawal of support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., will be afforded due process, the Palace said.

Col. Audie Mongao of the Army Training Command, the military official who has been relieved over a supposed social media message announcing his withdrawal of support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., will be afforded due process, the Palace said.

Palace stresses due process for Army colonel relieved for ‘withdrawal of support’

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Palace stresses due process for Army colonel relieved for ‘withdrawal of support’

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 10, 2026 01:31 PM PHT

|

Updated Jan 10, 2026 05:18 PM PHT

Read More:

Audie Mongao

Claire Castro

Army Training Command

Philippine Army

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