AFP on Duterte鈥檚 arrest: Ready to enforce nat鈥檒 security, stability
MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said that it is ready “to reinforce efforts to uphold national security and stability when necessary,” following the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte for his alleged crimes against humanity.
The military’s comment came after the Palace revealed that the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) – Manila received the official copy of
“[A]s a professional organization, the AFP adheres to the chain of command and we remain focused on our mandate,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
“However, together with the appropriate government agencies, we stand ready to reinforce efforts to uphold national security and stability when necessary,” she added.
Duterte arrived in Manila from Hong Kong around 10:30 a.m. and is currently under the custody of the Philippine National Police.
Based on reports, Duterte’s bloody war on drugs left at least 6,000 people dead; however, human rights groups reported that the number may have reached 20,000.
