Chided by VP Duterte, AFP stresses rule vs political partisanship
Armed Forces of the Philippines logo. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Thursday that the 1987 Constitution “explicitly prohibits military personnel from engaging in political activities.”
It issued the statement in reply to Vice President Sara Duterte, who questioned its silence over the arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
READ:
The military pointed out that any deviation from this principle “would undermine the very democracy we are bound to protect.”
“The AFP’s role is to defend the country and uphold stability, not to interfere in political matters. Any concerns about governance should be resolved through lawful and democratic means,” it said.
The AFP vowed to remain steadfast in its sworn duty to protect the Filipino people, defend the Constitution, and uphold democracy.
It said that the strength of democracy lies in respecting institutions, following due process, ensuring justice through established legal channels, and selecting executive and legislative officials through elections.
“The AFP stands firm in its duty—always in service of the Filipino people, with unwavering commitment to the Constitution,” it added.
READ: AFP ‘remains united’ amid political tension after Duterte arrest
Bishop’s appeal
In the same vein, a Catholic bishop urged Filipino workers overseas not to make their families in the Philippines suffer by joining a “zero-remittance” campaign to protest the former leader’s arrest for alleged crimes against humanity.
Duterte was arrested on March 11 by the Philippine National Police and the International Criminal Police Organization under a warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court.
He has since been detained at The Hague, where he will be tried on charges arising from extrajudicial killings committed when he was Davao City mayor and later on as President from 2011 to 2019.
But his supporters claim that the charges are politically motivated and have called for a “zero-remittance week” from March 28, in time for the 80th birthday of Duterte on April 4.
For Antipolo Bishop Ruperto Santos, who is also vice chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, overseas Filipino workers (OFW) should consider the broader consequences of halting remittances, even temporarily.
“[It] could disrupt the lives of these families, leaving them vulnerable and struggling to make ends meet. The very people we aim to protect and uplift may inadvertently bear the brunt of this protest,” Santos said in a statement.
“On a national scale, remittances account for a significant portion of our economy. Even a temporary disruption in this flow could have ripple effects, impacting not just the government but also local businesses and communities that rely on the economic activity generated by these funds,” he added.
Santos instead called for unity and dialogue among the OFW supporters of Duterte.
