No threat of coup, new AFP chief Catapang assures
Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Amid the controversies surrounding the Disbursement Acceleration Program, the top brass of the Armed Forces of the Philippines assured there would be no armed uprising from the government troops and that they would remain professional all throughout.
AFP Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gregorio Pio Catapang on Thursday said the military would be in full support of what would transpire on the debates on the DAP, which the judiciary declared unconstitutional.
“There would be no coup, we are a professional armed forces,” Catapang said.
On Thursday, Catapang went to the main headquarters of the three branches of the military, Philippine Army in Taguig, Philippine Air Force in Pasay, and Philippine Navy in Manila to bring his message of staying professional and raising awareness to his troops on the DAP.
“What’s important is that they know the essence of the news surrounding DAP, we explain to them how the government, and its three branches work,” Catapang said.
Catapang added the troops should remain focused on their jobs or protecting the country and not get influenced with anyone’s opinion on the DAP.
“It would be hard if they get involved, we have experienced that during the 1980s, so we are over it,” Catapang said.
He said there are more problems bigger than the threat of a coup that the military should be concerned about.
“There’s a new war that we are about to face now that we are slowly addressing insurgency and that is the globalized challenges of the 21st century which include global terrorism, global climate change, global maritime concern, global transnational crimes, and proliferation of weapons of mass destructions,” Catapang said.
Also, Catapang said the controversy shows a “vibrant democracy” with all three branches of government working for what he hopes would be a “common goal.”
“The proceedings show a vibrant democracy and we should not be worried,” Catapang said. “That’s how the government works.”
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