Manila, Dec. 19 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to remain vigilant in the face of "unfounded" claims portraying the country as a training ground for terrorism, stressing that the nation's security gains should not be dismissed by misleading narratives.

Speaking during the AFP's 90th anniversary celebration at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Marcos praised the military's 160,000-strong force for nine decades of service in safeguarding the country's sovereignty, internal security, and the Filipino people amid both conflict and calm.

Marcos said deceptive narratives should not weaken the AFP's focus or morale.

"We also reject in the strongest terms the recent misleading cla...