AFP: ‘Loyalty check’ ‘di kailangan

MANILA, Philippines — Umapela ang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) kay dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na lubayan na sila matapos manawagan ang huli na kumilos ang hukbong sandatahan ng bansa upang maresolba ang ‘fracture’ o nabasag nang gobyerno ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“There is no need for loyalty checks, our chief of staff has already stated that he trusts that each soldier will perform its mandate accordingly and remain professional. ang amin pong loyalty is to the flag and to the constitution and we adhere to the chain of command,” sabi ni AFP spokesman Col. Francel Margareth Padilla na iginiit pang bahagi na lamang ng nakaraan ang military adventurism o coup de etat.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines is a non-partisan organization. As our Chief of Staff (Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr) has already stated, our Armed Forces of the Philippines is united and professional,” pahayag pa ni Padilla.

Sa kaniyang mensahe kamakalawa ng gabi, hindi man direktang sinabi ni Digong na magkudeta ang militar laban kay PBBM ay nagparunggit ito kung susuportahan pa ang nalalabing apat na taong termino ng administrasyong Marcos dahil pinaratangan nitong adik umano ang punong ehekutibo.

“So, with all these things, Sir, we respectfully request that we are shunned away from political issues,” ani Padilla.

“Our soldiers will continue to be loyal to our Chain of Command and to the constitution which we swore to protect at all times. The AFP shall remain a non-partisan organization. We in the AFP will heed only to our mandate, and our loyalty remains to the flag alone”, saad naman ni Major Gen. Ramon Zagala II, Commander ng AFP-Civil Relations Service (CRS) at dating Presidential Security Group commander ni PBBM.

Ayon pa kay Padilla, mataas ang trust rating ng AFP sa mga nakalipas na survey at lahat ng mga nangyayari sa ingay sa pulitika ay hindi nila nais makisawsaw pa.

“We want to be isolated from political issues and we request the Philippine public to be calm and resolve and pagkatiwalaan po na inyong sandatahang lakas ng Pilipinas, we will do our mandate accordingly,”sabi pa ng opisyal.