AFP: No reports of personnel quitting over Duterte arrest
Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, Armed Forces of the Philippines. PHOTO: Arnel Tacson, INQUIRER.net file photo
MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Thursday dismissed claims that some military personnel have resigned following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was brought to The Hague to stand trial on crimes against humanity.
Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, the AFP spokesperson, said in a statement that the reports “remain unverified.”
Various posts on social media claimed that some military personnel have resigned in support of Duterte, who is now being kept in the detention facility of the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands.
“We urge everyone to exercise critical discernment and avoid spreading unconfirmed information,” Padilla said.
“The AFP remains a professional, unified and nonpartisan institution, committed to its constitutional mandate of defending the nation and serving the Filipino people. Our personnel continue to remain focused on our sworn duty, upholding the rule of law and the chain of command,” she added.
READ: ICC: Rodrigo Duterte being held at detention center in Scheveningen
READ: SC to gov’t: Tell why habeas corpus writ must not be issued for Duterte
Col. Louie Dema-ala, the Philippine Army spokesperson, also said that they have not received any report of Army officers resigning after Duterte’s arrest.
High morale
“If social media is the only basis, we will not believe it. But currently, we have not received reports of actual soldiers of the Philippine Army resigning,” Dema-ala said, adding that the Army’s morale remains high.
“We are facing other problems here in the Philippine Army, so we are focused on our mandate,” he said.
In a separate statement, Col. Maria Consuelo Castillo, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) spokesperson, said they have not monitored any unrest nor noted any personnel resignations.
“Our airmen remain alert and ready to perform their duty to maintain peace and security,” according to Castillo.
“We are still in a period of mourning from the loss of our comrades, but it only serves to inspire us to do our jobs even better, amid the challenges that we currently face,” she said. Two PAF pilots were killed after an FA-50 fighter jet crashed on a mountain in the Bukidnon province last week.
Castillo assured the public that PAF personnel continue to embody professionalism and loyalty to the flag and people “while maintaining absolute political neutrality.”
