The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) debunked on Wednesday, March 12, claims of military unrest supposedly stemming from disgruntled soldiers after the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla stressed that soldiers remain “professional and non-partisan”, and are focused on their core mission of safeguarding national security and maintaining stability.
“The arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte is a matter of law enforcement, and therefore, outside the AFP’s direct purview. The AFP remains strictly professional and non-partisan,” she said.
“Speculations of military action or unrest has no basis. We remain to be solid and professional, unequivocally committed to the chain of command and the democratic institutions of the Philippines,” she added.
While the overall security situation in the country remains stable, Padilla noted that the AFP has been actively monitoring developments on the ground, particularly street protests.
She said the troops are “prepared to respond appropriately to any threats to peace and order.”
“We assure the public that we maintain a high state of readiness,” she said.
The AFP called on the public to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law.
“Let us prioritize unity and allow the legal processes to unfold. We have full confidence in our institutions to handle this matter with due diligence,” Padilla said.
Duterte was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Hong Kong on Tuesday after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant of arrest for his alleged crimes for humanity over his administration’s campaign against drugs. He was flown from the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City to The Hague, Netherlands where he will face his charge.
The drug war killed 6,000 suspects according to police records but estimates by human rights group go as high as 30,000, including those killed by vigilantes.
When he was the president, Duterte was credited for increasing the salaries of cops and soldiers when he signed into law the Congress Joint Resolution modifying the Base Pay Schedule for Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP) in 2018.
Duterte also had a penchant for appointing former military or police officials into civilian positions in his Cabinet. Critics, however, saw this as a form of militarization of the government. (Martin Sadongdong)
