Senator Panfilo Lacson (inset) says laws benefiting the military are the work of the Senate and not just by their authors. INQUIRER FILE / AFP FILE
Senator Panfilo Lacson called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday to maintain its allegiance to the Constitution and to the Filipino people amid the passage of laws that would benefit its members.
In particular, Lacson noted that measures providing for the AFP’s modernization “are the work of the Senate as an institution representing the people.”
“More than who authored the bills, the members of the AFP can best show their appreciation by serving the country and the Filipino people,” the senator said in a statement.
Lacson issued the statement a few days after Sen. Antonio Trillanes said that he authored the AFP Modernization Law and the Salary Standardization Law for the military.
READ: I’ve done a lot for the AFP, says Trillanes / Trillanes presents list of laws for military, police
Trillanes pointed to the laws he authored after President Rodrigo Duterte said that the senator did nothing for the military and had become corrupt.
READ: Duterte: Trillanes became corrupt
Lacson, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy and a former police chief, said the passage of such laws benefiting the AFP was not just a matter of authoring bills, but also taking part in other stages, including holding committee hearings and sponsoring the measure.
He noted the Revised AFP Modernization Act, which he said stemmed not only of the efforts of Trillanes but of Sen. Ralph Recto and himself as well.
Aside from modernizing the military, the senator also cited Joint Resolution No. 1, which took effect last January and raised the salaries of military and uniformed personnel.
The approval of the resolution, Lacson said, was the result of similar efforts by Senator Gringo Honasan as principal sponsor of the measure and co-authors, including him Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Cynthia Villar. /cbb / Daphne Galvez