MANILA -- “To whom do you turn over the government after a coup?”
President Rodrigo R. Duterte raised this question to military and police officers during the first national assembly of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas in Pasay City on Monday night.
The event coincided with the commemoration of the 33rd People Power Revolution where both military and police played a huge part in removing dictator former president Ferdinand Marcos from office.
Duterte specifically scolded military and police officers for joining coup attempts to return the power of the government to political rivals.
“Kanino mo i-turn over ang gobyerno? Doon sa kalaban niya sa pulitika (To whom are you going to turn over the government? The rival politician)?" Duterte said.
“You better stop it. Kung ganun ‘wag kayong makialam (don’t get involved). If that is your habit. What for?” he asked.
The President also urged both military and police to instead return the government to the Filipino people.
“Sabi ko sa kanila kung mag-kudeta kayo, mag-mutiny kayo, ‘wag mong isauli sa pulitiko, isauli mo sa Pilipino (I told them, if you’re going to attempt a coup d’etat or mutiny, don’t return it to politicians, return it to Filipinos),” he said.
Meanwhile, Duterte also mentioned how the military and police have formed a “power movement” involving the rich.
“Ang sinabi ko lang nitong sa military pati pulis, kayo rin kasi, may power movement diyan itong mga mayaman (What I’m saying is the military and police have a power movement with the rich),” he said.
Duterte mentioned the “crowd of Roxas” as elitists but did not provide details who he was referring to.
“‘Di ba ‘yung crowd ni Roxas. ‘Yan sila ang --- mga elitista. Tapos ‘yan sila ang mag -power-power movement (Those in the crowd of Roxas are elitists. And then you have a power movement),” he said.
“Tapos kung kayo naman military pati pulis, sumasali kayo tapos sabihin niyo, 'O dito kami sa kampong ito' (And then you, military and police, join them and say, ‘We’re joining this camp'),’’he added.
Last year, Duterte expressed his “ill feeling” towards some people in the military who are allegedly communicating with the opposition Liberal Party to oust him.
However, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that Duterte still enjoys overwhelming support from the military despite these claims. (PNA)
