MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will do everything in its authority to ensure the successful and peaceful conduct of all election-related activities this year.
This was stressed by AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato Thursday when asked what role the military will play in the coming elections.
"(The) AFP is deputized by the Comelec (Commission on Elections) so we will dedicate our efforts for the successful conduct of the BOL (Bangsamoro Organic Law) plebiscite and the incoming mid-term elections," Detoyato said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.
The BOL plebiscite is slated for Jan. 21 and Feb. 6 while the mid-term election is on May 13.
"Our combat operations and other security operations will always be in support to the honest, orderly and peaceful conduct of Comelec-sanctioned activities," Detoyato pointed out.
Meanwhile, he also defended the Philippine National Police (PNP)'s action for conducting "profiling" against a group of teachers.
"Teachers of public schools are government employees. And it is idiotic if a government employee is undermining the government that hired them and the government will not do anything, even though it has already been brought up to (its) attention," Detoyato noted.
He added that the government should not just sit down and let these groups carry out their unscrupulous acts.
"It is idiotic if the government will just let this happen and not take any action to protect its citizens from idiots masquerading as championing for the government employees while secretly supporting a group who is attempting to bring down the government that employs its member teachers," he added. (PNA)
