MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has nothing to worry about the alleged destabilization plot against him as he enjoys “overwhelming support” from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), Senator Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday.
“We’ve been talking to many military officers, even police officers and most of them, lahat halos na nakausap namin (almost all of them we’ve talked with), they are happy with the way the President is treating the AFP and PNP,” Lacson said in a media interview.
Lacson was reacting to Duterte’s recent frustration over reports that some soldiers are allegedly “in cahoots” with his critics to oust him.
Duterte also said the Communist Party of the Philippines, political opposition including the Liberal Party, and the Magdalo group of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV were plotting to remove him from the presidency.
In the same interview, Lacson said he understands where the President’s frustration is coming from, given the strong and consistent support Duterte has provided the AFP.
Since assuming the presidency, Duterte has doubled the salaries of soldiers and policemen and saw to it that the military is well provided with modern weapons and equipment, as well as medical, health and other benefits.
“So, I can understand his frustration. Pero (But) being politically mature and having the experience he has in politics, I think he should understand na hindi niya pwede makuha lahat ang (that he cannot get) 100 percent support ng (of the) armed services,” Lacson said.
He pointed out that there would always be some elements who could be dissatisfied with the advancement of their careers or just simply dissatisfied.
“So they are opening themselves up, they become vulnerable to possible recruitment,” Lacson said.
On the other hand, Lacson, a former PNP chief, stressed that it is not normal either for members of the military to talk with political groups.
“There’s nothing unusual, but it should not be interpreted as normal because the AFP should be apolitical,” he said.
“Di sila dapat makipagusap o makipag-corroborate with political groups. After all, ang commander-in-chief nila iisa lang, ang duly elected president (They should not be talking or corroborating with political groups. After all, they have only one Commander-in-Chief, the duly elected president),” Lacson said.
He said the same goes with Trillanes’ sympathizers within the AFP.
The member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1971 said while having supporters of Trillanes in the service could not be prevented, his sympathizers should strictly “adhere to the principles of the AFP.”
“Di pwedeng nagsi-sympathize ka and overtly you will do something to express disgust sa CIC mo. Di ba may principle sa loyalty, pagka nasa loob ka ng mainstream, you remain loyal (One cannot sympathize and overtly do something to express your disgust to your Commander-In-Chief. There is the principle on loyalty: if you are in the mainstream, you remain loyal),” he said.
“Now if you cannot remain loyal, you get out and start opposing,” Lacson said. (PNA)
