Amid growing tensions in the Middle East following the death of a Filipino in an Iranian strike, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it is fully prepared to carry out emergency response operations, including the possible evacuation of overseas Filipinos.
AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. emphasized in a Tribune.net report that the military has long-established contingency measures for such situations. “We have a contingency plan. We call this a non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO). We’ve been doing this for a long time,” he said in Filipino.
Brawner confirmed that military transport assets—such as the C-130 aircraft and Navy ships—are ready for deployment should the need arise. “Our C-130 aircraft and ships are on standby, in case we need to evacuate our fellow Filipinos again,” he added.
He also noted that the AFP is revisiting its existing operational frameworks to ensure they are suited for today’s evolving geopolitical risks. “We will revisit the plan to keep it updated. Our aircraft and ships must be ensured to be airworthy and seaworthy,” Brawner explained.
Separately, the AFP chief called on all military personnel to stay focused on their duties, following public discourse over Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s former dual citizenship.
“Our secretary of National Defense has already addressed that issue. As he said, he renounced that passport back in 2021,” Brawner stated. He then urged troops to stay committed to their responsibilities: “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.”
