Duterte ‘confident’ military won’t stage mutiny vs. him — Palace

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte discusses the pressing concerns of the country during a dialogue with Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo at the Malacañan Palace on September 11, 2018. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. clarified that President Rodrigo Duterte actually expressed confidence in the military when he dared them to join Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV and stage a mutiny if they are not satisfied with his leadership.

“Ang konteksto po kasi ni Presidente, ang sabi niya, kung gusto n’yo mag-alsa, mag-alsa na kayo nang matapos na (The context of the President, he said, is if they want to revolt, then go ahead so it will be over),” Roque said in a press conference on Wednesday, September 12.

“Ibig sabihin, kampante po ang Presidente na wala namang suporta na manggagaling sa hanay ng militar na patalsikin siya sa puwesto (Meaning, the President is confident that there no support will come from the ranks of the military for his ouster). So ‘yung kanyang (his) seeming incitement is actually also an expression of confidence na wala namang susunod po kay (that no one will follow) Sen. Trillanes at sa kanyang mga kasama (and his comrades),” he continued.

Duterte, in a one-on-one interview with Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, challenged the military to overthrow him as their Commander-in-Chief if they think that he is neither ‘competent’ nor ‘qualified’ to govern the country.

He added that the state forces may even join Trillanes, one of his critics and also a former Navy officer.

“Iyong kayong may nakita at nakita ninyong may gawa, may ginawa si Trillanes para sa inyo (You who believed that Trillanes has done something for you), go to them and stage a mutiny or revolution or whatever. You are free to do that. As a matter of fact, I am encouraging you para tapos na (so this will end),” he continued.

Responding to this remarks, Trillanes, Duterte’s fiercest critic, said the President has become ‘insecure.’

“Wala pong nakikipag-kumpitensiya sa inyo. Siya ‘yung Commander-in-Chief ng Armed Forces [of the Philippines], ako po ay isang senador (No one is competing with you. He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, I’m a senator),” Trillanes said.

“Tumutulong ako (I help) whenever I can, not only to soldiers and policemen but to everyone… ganun ‘din dapat siya. ‘Di kami nagpapataasan ng ihi dito, walang kumpetensiya (He should do the same. We are not in a pissing contest, there is no rivalry),” he added.

The embattled senator said he has no idea where Duterte’s ‘insecurity’ is coming from as it is clear that the military is “loyal to the chain of command and the Constitution.”

Duterte last Saturday said he does not need the loyalty of the uniformed personnel when he was asked if he would be conducting a loyalty check on the military and the police amid the standoff with Trillanes; whose amnesty was revoked by Duterte’s Proclamation No. 527.