AFP: No such things as military-back reset

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) yesterday once again assured the public that it will not support any military junta or “military-backed reset” of the government, amid the flood control and infrastructure corruption scandal hounding the Marcos administration.

“Our Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff has already clarified this multiple times, that there is no such thing as a military junta within the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The AFP will never subscribe to any reset plot, and our Constitution has no cheat codes. So we will always go to the side of the Constitution, the constitutional processes that are in place,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said.

Asked further about Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s recent revelations that he was invited to join such a junta, which he rejected, Padilla told reporters there is no such thing happening inside the military organization. 

“Who Lacson spoke to were within the ranks of retired personnel. This is for other agencies to look into. Our concern is the national security implications of it,” she said in Filipino.

Padilla noted that the AFP is specifically concerned only with active military personnel and as for those already retired, “they are now civilians but we respect their opinions, their advice to the active members.”

On Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.’s admission that there is an active effort or attempt to destabilize the government, Padilla explained that “if this is being investigated upon, we will not leave any stone unturned. Like we said, if there is a report on that, we will act on it and make the necessary actions.”

And while the AFP is looking into allegations of possible recruitment of active soldiers for such plots, she said the AFP has evolved into a very professional organization that has learned from, and sees the pitfalls of, such experiences in the past.

As protest actions continue, Padilla said the military is “asking rally organizers to police their ranks, because public safety is a shared responsibility. Peace and order of any gathering will depend on clear and responsible leadership. We trust them to uphold discipline so the event remains peaceful and lawful.”

“The AFP will support law enforcement authorities to guarantee the safety of our people and that the assemblies remain orderly and consistent with the law. Amid the noise, the AFP remains the country’s steady compass, always pointing to one direction – the Constitution and the Filipino people and constitutional processes. We stay professional, disciplined and non-partisan. We are loyal to the Constitution, to the chain of command and to the Filipino people,” Padilla said.

Serious

In an interview with dzMM, dean of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Diplomacy and Governance Gary Ador Dionisio backed Lacson’s statement that he was personally approached to support a military junta.

“Well, what Sen. Lacson said is like sounding the alarm bells that there’s really an attempt to destabilize the government,” Dionisio said. “As early as September, we were hearing about this on social media and even to some in mainstream media, that some groups will mobilize people and install what we call a civilian-military junta.”

“According to him (Lacson), there is a coordinated, calibrated attempt. What they lack is people’s collaboration, because they have not mustered enough support, perhaps from our coercive arm of the state, military and police and even its civil society component,” he said.

Dionisio warned that the calls for destabilization are not isolated, and is “a serious threat to our stability.”

He said a military junta will only further worsen the country’s situation.

“Primarily they are packaging a civilian role here, but if you look at the civilian-military junta, it is still the military who rules; and if our government is reset, what’s the cost? Economically – according to Standard and Poor’s – our credit rating has gone down a bit. So, if this happens, we will scare all international investors even more,” Dioniso added.

Meanwhile, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) yesterday maintained that calls for the resignation of Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte are constitutional and part of a democratic process to restore public trust in government.

In a statement, Bayan said resignation is “a legitimate, democratic and constitutionally contemplated remedy” when national leaders lose the moral authority to govern.
The group cited Article VII, Section 8 of the 1987 Constitution, which recognizes the resignation of both officials and outlines the line of succession.

Bayan said the government has failed to address corruption, citing the ongoing flood control controversy and what it described as “token resignations, secretive investigations and political cover-ups.”

The group renewed its proposal for a civilian-led National Transition Council to temporarily take over and implement reforms, including independent investigations into corruption cases, the passage of an anti-political dynasty law and preparations for credible elections.

Leni not attending march

Former vice president and current Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, yesterday, said that she will not join the Trillion Peso March on Nov. 30.

“Because many people are asking… What I said is that I am very supportive of the second Trillion Peso March that will be held here in Naga. As usual, I will be joining, but will just be on the sidelines, and the city government is ready to help in securing the event and whatever else is needed,” Robredo said on Facebook. — Bella Cariaso, Mark Ernest Villeza, Emmanuel Tupas