The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday assured the public that it is fully prepared to respond to any escalation in the Middle East, following the recent death of a Filipino national in an Iranian strike.

In an interview, AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the military has contingency plans in place to protect and, if necessary, evacuate Filipinos in conflict zones abroad.

“We have a contingency plan. We call this a non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO). We’ve been doing this for a long time,” Brawner explained in Filipino, referencing previous missions where military ships and aircraft were deployed to bring overseas Filipinos home safely.

He noted that transport assets, including C-130 aircraft and naval vessels, are on standby should the situation require another evacuation effort.

“Our C-130 aircraft and ships are on standby, in case we need to evacuate our fellow Filipinos again,” he said.

In light of recent developments, Brawner added that the AFP is reviewing and updating its operational plans to ensure they remain effective and aligned with current global risks.

“We will revisit the plan to keep it updated. Our aircraft and ships must be ensured to be airworthy and seaworthy,” he said.

Stick to duties, not politics

Brawner urged military personnel to remain focused on their sworn duties and responsibilities amid the dual citizenship issue involving Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.

In an interview, Brawner said the matter had already been addressed by the secretary of National Defense himself.

“Our secretary of National Defense has already addressed that issue. As he said, he renounced that passport back in 2021,” Brawner said.

“Let’s just focus on our work because our country is facing many problems. So let’s just do our job and leave those kinds of issues behind,” he added.