MANILA, Philippines–Newly-appointed Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General GregorioPioCatapangJr. said there wasno intelligencereportof any destabilization plotagainstthe Aquino administration, saying the military’smorale now is “high.”
“There’s no intelligence on that,”Catapangtold reporters after attending a Senate hearing onWednesday.
“Wala naman pong rason dahil maayos naman po ang pamamalakad ng ating mahal ng Pangulo. Sobrang suportado po kami sa modernization program namin(There’s no reason because our belovedPresidentis runningthe country well, heis very much supportive of our modernization program),” he said.
Colonel RamonZagala, Public Information Chief of the AFP also denied that there are coup plots against Aquino.
“We remain partisan-free and professional,”Zagalasaid in an interview overRadyoInquirer 990AM.
Asked about Senator Antonio “Sonny”TrillanesIV’s reported statementsthat retired generals close to former president and now Pampanga Representative GloriaMacapagal-Arroyo were allegedly plotting to oust Aquino,Catapangstressed: “Walapoiyan,walapokamingreportnaganoon(That’s nothing. We have no report on that).”
“Mataaspoangmorale ngmgasundalonatinkasilalongaponahighlightdoonsaSona(State of the Nation Address)noongatingmahalnaPangulonaipinakitaiyongmganaitulongniyasaArmed Forces (The morale of our soldiers is highespecially when the President highlighted in hisSonawhat he has done to the armed forces),” he said.
When asked about possible coup threat from retired and inactive members of the military,Zagalasaid they have not monitored any activity of its possibility among them.
But he said, retired and inactive members of the military are now civilians and have regained their freedom of expression and assembly.
“They have already regained their freedom of expression and it is not the policy of the AFP to curtail anybody’s right,” he said.
“We will not curtail their rights,” he added.
He mentioned that there are some who are “disgruntled” but was quick to say that it is “just a mere expression” and would not transform into a possible coup threat.
Catapang, meanwhile, said there was no need to conduct a loyalty checksince the soldiersremain loyal to their Commander-in-Chief.
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