FACT CHECK: No martial law declaration over army colonel’s ‘withdrawal of support’

Claim: President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has signed a declaration placing the Philippines under martial law.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: A YouTube video posted on January 13 on the channel “PINAS BALITA TV” bears the title “Diyos ko po; nagdeklara na, delikado na to. Matinding utos ng Palasyo, pirmado na; God save the Philippines.” 

(My God, it has happened, this is dangerous. A serious order from the Palace has been issued and signed. God save the Philippines.)

Its thumbnail shows politicians looking shocked and Marcos seemingly holding up a signed document. 

The video’s narrator opens with the statement: “‘Pag hindi pabor sa inyo ang isang sundalo ay agad-agad sisibakin niyo na lang ito sa kanyang pwesto. Ano ba ito, martial law?”

(If a soldier no longer supports you, you will immediately remove him from his position. What is this, martial law?)

The video goes on to discuss the removal of Army Colonel Audie Mongao after a social media post attributed to him said he was withdrawing his support for the President. The narrator then loosely links this development to a supposed crisis and floats the question of whether this amounts to “martial law.”

The video’s title and the narrator’s framing of Mongao’s removal from his post sparked concern in the comments section, with many viewers asking if the supposed martial law declaration was true.

As of writing, the video has garnered more than 8,300 views, 332 likes, and 48 comments.

The facts: There is no declaration of martial law in the Philippines. Malacañang has issued no such proclamation, and no credible news organization has reported any move to place the country under martial law.

The viral video uses the term “martial law” out of context, seemingly suggesting that the relief of a military officer who allegedly expressed a negative view of the President was akin to the imposition of martial law. The video does not provide any evidence that emergency powers have been declared or are being considered. Instead, it only cites political commentary from another channel named “The General’s Viewpoint.” 

Under investigation: Major General Michael Logico, commander of the Army’s Training Command, stated that Mongao was relieved of his post on January 8 after a post of his, where he allegedly withdrew his “personal” support for Marcos, quickly went viral on social media.

“Investigation is underway to determine possible administrative and legal charges that may be imposed upon him in relation to his online statement. Nonetheless, we are still reaching out to Col. Mongao so that we may extend to him emotional support. He is still my responsibility,” Logico said in a post on Friday, January 9.

Logico later announced that Mongao “voluntarily submitted himself back to military control” and that he is cooperating with the investigation. The Palace has since said that Mongao will be afforded due process. 

AFP support: The Marcos administration is no stranger to talks of unrest or withdrawal of support among some military personnel. 

In September 2025, amid revelations of massive corruption in the government’s infrastructure projects, retired air force general and outspoken Marcos critic Romeo Poquiz, along with other former officers, urged Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. to withdraw support from the President — a call Brawner firmly rejected. 

Poquiz, who had also shared the post allegedly made by Mongao, was later arrested on January 5 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on an inciting to sedition charge filed by the police.  

In November 2025, seven military commanders issued public statements affirming their loyalty to the Constitution, amid calls for the Armed Forces to abandon the President. 

The AFP has since released an official statement dispelling online content presenting narratives of division within the force, calling these “deliberate disinformation designed to sow confusion, mistrust, and division — both within the ranks and among the Filipino people.” – Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com

Efren Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar who graduated with a degree in English Language Studies at the Visayas State University. Cyril is also a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. 

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