Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 19) — President Rodrigo Duterte is confident there’s no need for a loyalty check within the military, his spokesperson said Monday following recently-dispelled rumors that the troops are withdrawing their support for their commander-in-chief.
“Hindi po nababahala ang Presidente. Alam po ng Presidente na tapat siya sa Saligang Batas, at alam po niya na nirerespeto rin ng ating kasundaluhan ang ating Saligang Batas,” Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing.
[Translation: The President is not alarmed. He knows he has been abiding by the Constitution, and he knows that the military respects the Constitution.]
On Sunday, top officials of the Department of Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines dismissed claims making the rounds on social media about the existence of a Viber group of active and retired military officers who allegedly plan to withdraw their support for the President. This is reportedly due to their dissatisfaction with Duterte’s apparent silence on Chinese incursions in Philippine waters.
Defense chief Delfin Lorenzana branded the claims as “irresponsible propaganda” created by detractors of the government. AFP chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana also said they were only meant “to create panic and confusion.”
“Sabi nga po niya, kung talagang siya ay inutil, matagal na siyang pinatalsik ng militar,” Roque said. “Pero kampante po siya na walang dahilan para naman umakto ng ganyan ang ating kasundaluhan.”
[Translation: As the President said, if he’s really inutile, the military would’ve long overthrown him. But he’s confident, because there’s no reason for our soldiers to act that way.]
Roque also insisted Duterte has not been without a stance on the West Philippine Sea issue. He argued that the pronouncements of Lorenzana and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. are also the President’s, unless he renounces them. Both secretaries have issued stern statements regarding China’s lingering presence in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, but the vessels still would not leave the area.
“Hindi ko maintindihan ano pa ang gusto ng mga kritiko ng Presidente. Nagsasalita na po ang kalihim ng Foreign Affairs, ang kalihim ng National Defense…Lahat po ‘yan, until renounced by the President, are declarations coming from the President himself,” Roque said, citing the doctrine of qualified political agency.
[Translation: I don’t understand what else the President’s critics want. The secretaries of the departments of Foreign Affairs and the National Defense have already issued statements on the matter. All of these, until renounced by the President, are declarations coming from the President himself.]
READ: Palace: Pronouncements of President’s alter-egos on WPS row with China also his
He added that Duterte already invoked the country’s sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea before the United Nations General Assembly in September last year.
