MANILA — Chairman Emeritus Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia emphasized that public political dissent by active-duty military officers poses a risk to institutional neutrality, stressing that the issue concerns constitutional roles rather than freedom of expression.
“The concern is not freedom of expression,” Goitia said. “It is the position being taken.”
“In a democracy, dissent is a right of citizens, not a privilege of armed officers,” he added. “The moment a soldier speaks politically in public, institutional neutrality is placed at risk.”
Goitia underscored that this distinction is essential to prevent individual judgment from overriding the discipline necessary to maintain the stability of the republic.
Context and Timing
The issue gained attention after Colonel Audie A. Mongao, an active-duty officer, publicly withdrew his personal support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on January 9.
The timing of the statement drew scrutiny. Just two days earlier, on January 7, a mass oath-taking ceremony for newly promoted generals was held, during which Mongao’s name was absent.
The sequence, Goitia said, raises questions about whether the statement was an act of principle or a protest following being passed over for promotion.
Authority Rooted in the Constitution
Goitia emphasized that the authority of the President as Commander in Chief does not depend on personal approval from officers, regardless of rank or tenure.
He said presidential authority flows from the Constitution and the sovereign mandate of the Filipino people.
“Moral authority is not something one announces,” Goitia said. “It is vested by law, sustained by institutions, and judged over time.”
According to Goitia, recasting personal dissatisfaction as a moral judgment against civilian leadership undermines the constitutional order the military is sworn to protect.
Institutional Response
Military leadership has responded with what Goitia described as clarity and restraint.
Michael G. Logico, Commander of the Training Command, confirmed that Colonel Mongao has been temporarily removed from his post and is now under investigation for possible administrative and legal accountability related to his online statement.
At the same time, military command has indicated that efforts are ongoing to reach out to the officer and provide emotional support.
“Strength in the Armed Forces comes from firm rules enforced without theatrics,” Goitia said. “Accountability and compassion are equally required of leadership.”
He added that this approach reflects an institution enforcing discipline without abandoning humanity.
Preserving Professionalism
Goitia noted that under the current administration, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has remained professional, apolitical, and constitutionally anchored.
He said there has been no politicization of command and no deviation from democratic norms.
“These are facts,” Goitia said. “They do not support claims of moral collapse.”
He warned that when officers act as political commentators, the credibility of the military institution itself is placed at risk.
Discipline as Patriotism
Goitia said history — particularly Philippine history — demonstrates that republics weaken when discipline yields to personal grandstanding within military ranks.
“The uniform is not a platform,” he said. “It is a responsibility.”
He stressed that criticism of governance belongs in the civilian sphere and that military restraint should not be mistaken for silence but recognized as service.
Order and Democracy
Goitia called for perspective rather than provocation, stating that the Philippines remains strongest when institutions operate within their constitutional limits.
“Our democracy endures,” Goitia concluded, “not through defiance, but through discipline.”
Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia, Juris Doctor, PhD, is Chairman Emeritus of Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and the Filipinos Do Not Yield Movement (FDNY). He holds advanced degrees, including an MNSA, MPA, and MBA, among others.
