Manila, Jan. 8 -- Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. reiterated the military's role as a stabilizing and unifying force as it held the traditional New Year's Call this Thursday.

"Security is strongest when shared, and peace endures when institutions work together with trust and purpose. The AFP will remain a stabilizing and unifying force, firm in its mandate and respectful of the rule of law," he said during the traditional New Year's Call at the Tejeros Hall of the AFP Commissioned Officers Club at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

The New Year's Call is a gathering by the country's top military leadership and commanders of AFP units nationwide, most of whom are accompanied by their spouses.

These milita...