Clad in full battle gear, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte visits the war-torn Marawi City for the third time on August 24, 2017 to boost the morale of the government troops from the Joint Special Operations Task Force Trident. During his visit, the President shared words of encouragement to the troops and vowed anew that he will cover the educational expense for their children. Accompanying the President were National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Eduardo Año, and Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go. PHOTOS BY SIMEON CELI JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
QUEZON CITY, Philippines – Acting Interior Secretary Eduardo Año is confident that it is unnecessary to conduct a loyalty check among the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“No need for a loyalty check. We are very confident the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police will never venture on any adventurism, coup d’etat, or destabilization plan,” he said in response to Senator Panfilo Lacson’s call for it “by way of counterintelligence and other similar built-in mechanisms.”
The senator added that “failing to do so would create more serious problems for them.”
No less than President Rodrigo Duterte himself revealed his sentiments against soldiers who are allegedly conniving with the oppositions brewing a “Red October” movement to oust the President.
In a speech on Wednesday, September 26, the Commander in Chief called on his troops to direct their grievances to him rather than stage a coup d’etat that would affect many others.
The President added that he is willing to step down if the Filipino people no longer have the confidence in his leadership.
“Do not go into such stupid things as coup d’état, coup d’état or what. You’re wasting your time. Just talk to me. And if I think that you are right, I will agree with you and I will step down. Uwi na ako sa amin (I will just go back home),” he said.
Secretary Año, meanwhile, still believes that the communist group has been plotting the ouster of President Duterte since last year and planning for countermeasures is necessary.
“Ok lang sana kung using legitimate (means) like for example through a political election, through constitutional means. But you know they also have armed groups,” the DILG secretary hinted. — Marje Pelayo (with reports from Victor Cosare)
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