The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Saturday 18 October 2025 that they are considering stripping the monthly pensions of retired military personnel if found that they are spreading fake news or making seditious statements.
The statement was made during a forum, following information that some retired officials are spreading misinformation, allegedly inciting a rebellion against the current administration.
According to Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the highest ranking official that they are monitoring is a retired two-star general, who receives a monthly pension amounting to P160 thousand.
“When you receive a pension to the government, it follows that you must be responsible for what you receive, so this is included in the study of AFP legal officers,” Trinidad said in Filipino.
Rear Admiral Trinidad emphasized that the spread of misinformation corrupts the mind of the soldier, and the revolt of the military sector is not the answer in changing the system.
“The problem now is even with retiress, they are trying to change the truth. They will spread fake news to confuse the minds of the military. If the problem is corruption the answer to that is tightened project management, not revolt of military," Trinidad said.
AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla explained that their legal team is studying if there are any actions to be made to the actions of the alleged retiress amid the reports that they called on the military to withdraw their support to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., she noted that although the retired officials are now considered as civilians, their pension might fall into play.
“They are in the civilian category, but we said that since they are receiving pension, we will study how this will fall into play,” Col. Padilla said.
“If the legal channel determines that this is so, then we will follow,” she added.