MALACAÑANG ON Tuesday said there is no need for a loyalty check among members of the military amid rumors that retired and active military officers have withdrawn support for President Rodrigo Duterte over his silence on Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said top defense and military officials have already denied the existence of a group disgruntled over Duterte’s alleged subservience to China.
“Absolutely wala pong necessity. Sabi ni Presidente kung ayaw sa kanya ng military, uuwi siya ng Davao (Absolutely no necessity. The President said that if the military does not support him anymore, he will fly back to Davao),” he said in a virtual press briefing.
In a pre-recorded public address on Monday night, Duterte admitted that he was “downhearted” when he learned of rumors that a group of military officers have withdrawn their support for him.
“I was so -- talagang (really) downhearted ako because I expected the military to perform well…pagka akala ko makatulong ako sa bayan sa Pilipinas (I thought I could be of help to the nation, the Philippines),” he said.
He said he is willing to step down if he no longer has their support.
“If we cannot work together with just buy medicines, then maybe we cannot work together on bigger things. So what’s the point? Sinabi ko talaga sa kanila (I really told them). I do not work where I am not needed,” he added.
Duterte explained that he told defense and military officials that if they would ask him to resign, he would return to his hometown in Davao City.
“If I cannot have the cooperation of the Armed Forces, then there’s no point in working for this government. Wala (None),” he said.
Roque earlier said the President was “unbothered” by reports that some military officials were withdrawing their support for him, dismissing them as “hearsay.”
He insisted that there is no need for Duterte to make remarks about Chinese vessels in the WPS since his alter egos, particularly Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana have already made public statements on the matter.
“Hindi ko po maintindihan kung ano pang gusto ng mga kritiko ni Presidente. Nagsasalita na po ang kalihim ng Foreign Affairs, nagsasalita na ang kalihim ng National Defense (I don’t understand what more critics of the President want. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs and National Defense have already spoken),” he said in a Palace briefing on Monday.
Citing the doctrine of qualified political agency, he said utterances of the alter egos are words of the President unless Duterte renounces them.
Lorenzana earlier dismissed the rumors as “irresponsible propaganda”.
“We denounce the irresponsible propaganda being propagated in online posts alleging that a group of retired and active military officers are withdrawing their support for the President. This is fake news!” Lorenzana said in a statement.
Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana assured that the military continues to stand by Duterte and urged the public to spare his agency from partisan politics.
“The nation is already saddled with numerous challenges that the AFP must face rather than be distracted by people, groups, and associations advancing their own agenda. We assure our people that your soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines are firmly behind the chain-of-command,” Sobejana said. (By Azer Parrocha)
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