MALACAÑANG on Wednesday sought to downplay President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s “incitement” of dissatisfied soldiers to move against him, saying it was only an “expression of confidence” that no one from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will follow the footsteps of former mutineer Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV.
In his interview Tuesday with Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo, Mr. Duterte said in part: “I have stated my clear stand….If the AFP thinks I am not competent — that I am not qualified to be sitting here — I discussed this with them in a command conference, bahala kayo (it’s up to you)….If you want another president, fine.”
“You are free to do that. As a matter of fact, I am encouraging you to do that,” he added.
Sought for comment during a press briefing at the Palace on Wednesday afternoon, Presidential Spokesman Harry L. Roque Jr. said: “Ang konteksto po kasi ni Presidente, sabi niya kung gusto ninyo talagang mag-alsa, mag-alsa na kayo nang matapos na. Ibig sabihin, kampante po ang Presidente na wala namang suporta na manggagaling sa hanay ng military para patalsikin siya sa puwesto.” (The President’s context was that he said if they want to move against the government, they can do it now so that everything ends now. Meaning, the President is confident that there will be no support from the military to oust him.)
He also said: “So, iyong kanyang (his) seeming incitement is actually also an expression of confidence na wala namang susunod po kay Senator Trillanes at sa kanyang mga kasama (that no one [from the military] will follow Mr. Trillanes and his supporters).”
For her part, former chief justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno said on Wednesday the Armed Forces should not allow itself to be used as “tools of politicians.”
“I do not think that the AFP will turn its back on the people. I don’t think that the AFP will allow itself to be used by political self-interests. The AFP knows that it is not the tool of the politicians,” she told reporters after her visit to the office of Mr. Trillanes in the Senate.
“The AFP, I believe, will look beyond the term of any president and look at the long-term welfare of not just of the individual solider in the field but of every Filipino,” she added.

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