Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥擶ith the State of the Nation Address coming up and the brouhaha over the Disbursement Acceleration Program, the Armed Forces chief told his troops on rally behind their commander-in-chief.
During his visit to the Clark Air Base on Tuesday, AFP Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gregorio Pio Catapang assured his men that they are in 鈥済ood hands鈥� with President Benigno Aquino III.
鈥淲e are in good hands, our President is taking good care of us, let鈥檚 help him, let鈥檚 pray for him,鈥� Catapang said. 鈥淟et鈥檚 pray for him that he would have the determination and the courage to [overcome] the challenges that he is facing.鈥�
Despite the bad light that cast on DAP, Catapang was unafraid to say that the AFP has benefitted from the program not just recently but 鈥渨ay back.鈥�
鈥淭he DAP was a mechanism created by the government to accelerate services to the people, the government felt that it could not close its eyes to the problems that could aggravate especially when there is no money available,鈥� Catapang said.
鈥淥f course we are also a beneficiary of this DAP; in fact we have been a beneficiary way back,鈥� he said.
Catapang said the funds transferred through DAP that amounted to P18-billion helped the modernization program of the AFP.
He added that the AFP was able to acquire new equipment and received housing projects courtesy of funds coursed through the program.
Let it be, let it go
In the face of the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision declaring DAP partly unconstitutional, Catapang had to jump two generations to give an advice for his men, 鈥渏ust let it be鈥� and let it go.鈥�
鈥淲e should be reminded that as members of the AFP we should remain professional and non-partisan,鈥� Catapang said. 鈥淲e should allow the democratic process to take its course and let the judicial, the executive, and the legislative branches of the government deal with this.
He added that even with the different views that the three branches share, Catapang is still hoping that they would converge on one uniform goal, 鈥渢o serve the people.鈥�
鈥淎fter all these things have been said and done these things would probably reconcile, so let us not meddle in the affairs and let鈥檚 just do our job.鈥�
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