The Philippine Armed Forces: Protector or Oppressor

Abstract

Military tradition and establishment has long been a part of Philippine society. The scholarly works on military history, done mostly by former soldiers and officers, cover the vast panorama of both formal and informal traditions in military history. These works are comprehensive in terms of data, rendering an "ideal history" meant to instill pride and recognition for the military. Only recently has a more critical point of view surfaced. In the "other history" the military is de-glamorized in accounts of atrocities and defeats. Readers are provided a glimpse of the armed forces' complex character and changing roles particularly in the last three decades. More thorough studies are necessary to understand why the Philippine Armed Forces in its history has been both protector and oppressor of the people.