ANKARA

The Philippine army and navy on Saturday reiterated their loyalty to the constitution and civilian leadership as rumors of destabilization circulate ahead of two major public rallies in Metro Manila.

Army commanding general Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, in a statement, said that the military fully supports the unity and respect for civilian leadership, according to local media outlet ABS CBN.

“As unfounded speculation continues to circulate, we fully support and adhere to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ commitment to integrity, unity, and respect for civilian authority,” Lt. Gen. Nafarrete said.

He said the army stands ready to assist police in maintaining public order but remains “firmly focused” on external defense duties.

"We firmly reject lawless and unconstitutional actions that will undermine our national security and stability," he said.

His statement comes ahead of two major rallies in Manila and Quezon City, set to take place from Sunday to Tuesday.

The Quezon City rally, organized by the United People’s Initiative—a group led by retired military officers—aims to uphold democratic values by calling for greater accountability and transparency in government.

Navy chief Vice Adm. Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta also urged rally organizers to ensure the safety of participants and called on the public to remain vigilant against harmful disinformation.

Last month, the Philippine army chief, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., said that he had rejected calls to stage a coup against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during September protests against alleged corruption.

The army chief said some retired military officers had approached him to remove Marcos, but he ultimately rejected their overtures.

In September, thousands of people staged protests in different parts of the Philippines, including capital Manila, against alleged corruption.

Rallies erupted after mass fraud was detected in some 9,855 flood-control projects that were worth more than 545 billion pesos ($9.5 billion).

Protesters demanded accountability from corrupt politicians, the release of statements detailing assets, liabilities, and net worth, and the signing of bank secrecy waivers by all government officials.