Lacson: ‘Military -backed people power’ plot exists but unlikely to succeed

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping" Lacson on Sunday said there are reports of attempts by some groups to recruit support from members of the uniformed services for a possible military-backed “people power revolution,” but stressed that such efforts are unlikely to succeed.

In a radio interview, Lacson said he received information that some retired officers are trying to gain backing from within the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) amid ongoing political controversies involving President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte.

“There is definitely an attempt, but this is outside the AFP. Those behind this could only recruit a few, if at all, from inside the AFP,” Lacson said, adding that his contacts in the Philippine National Police (PNP) have not detected signs that the effort is gaining traction.

He noted that the initiative appears to be driven mainly by retired military officers and remains limited in scope.

Lacson, who served in the military and police service from 1971 to 2001 and headed the PNP from 1999 to 2001, emphasized that the professional nature of the armed services makes any unconstitutional takeover highly unlikely.

“So long as the AFP is professional, and I would like to believe it is, there is no compelling reason to have a military junta or another People Power revolution,” he said.

The senator also reiterated his previous opposition to any “military-backed reset” or junta proposal, warning that public anger over corruption issues must be addressed within constitutional processes.

He added that under the 1987 Constitution, presidential succession ends with the House Speaker, a gap he previously sought to address through his proposed “Designated Survivor” bill, which would expand the line of succession to include senior members of both chambers of Congress.