MANILA, Philippines—A “call for mutiny” was how Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile described the statement of a former Cabinet official urging the military to defy unlawful orders.

Unless clarified, former Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz Jr.’s statement implied a “call for mutiny,” Enrile told reporters on Thursday.

“The statement unless clarified connotes an invitation to the military to defy superiors. In other words, it implies a call for mutiny,” he said.

“The statement must be clarified because when the order is issued unless patently and clearly illegal, the soldier or the police should not defy the order,” he said.

But Enrile agreed with Cruz’s statement that the military must disobey unlawful orders.

“(But) who makes the judgment that the order is unlawful when this ordering superior exercises the power within the law, within the Constitution?’ he asked.

Enrile also doubts the no-election and martial law scenarios painted by the former government official, pointing out the P11.2 billion budget that Congress has allotted to automate the 2010 elections.

“I don’t know whether he is in possession of certain facts that I don’t know about, but at the side of my coin, I think there will be an election,” he said.

In fact, the Senate leader said, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo need not have to make a categorical statement whether or not there will be elections next year when she addresses the nation on July 27.

Enrile said the Constitution was clear that Arroyo should step down on the 30th of June next year.

“If she (Arroyo) will not step down, if she will not go down, she will be an illegal president. She has no claim to power. That means, she would be defying the Constitution,” he further said.