Palace: Duterte unbothered by military’s alleged withdrawal of support for him

(FILE) President Rodrigo Duterte. KING RODRIGUEZ/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is unbothered by reports that some military men are withdrawing their support for him, Malacañang said Monday as it dismissed such information as mere hearsay.

“Hindi po nababahala ang Presidente. Alam po ng Presidente na tapat siya sa Saligang Batas at alam po niya na nirerespeto rin ng ating kasundaluhan ang ating Saligang Batas,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing when asked if there’s a need for a loyalty check among military men.

(The President is unbothered. The President knows he is faithful to the Constitution and he knows that the military also respects the Constitution.)

“Sabi nga po niya, kung talagang siya ay inutil, matagal na siyang pinatalsik ng militar. Alam po niya kung gugustuhin ng militar, na kahit sino ay puwede ipatanggal ng militar pero kampante po sya na walang dahilan para naman umakto ng ganyan ang ating kasundaluhan,” he added.

(He said that if he is useless, he has long been ousted by the military. He knows that if the military wants, they can remove him from office. But he is complacent that there is no reason for the military to act in such a way.)

Roque also dismissed these reports as mere hearsay just as how the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) called it fake news.

READ: ‘Fake news’: DND, AFP denounce claims of their withdrawal of support for Duterte 

“Kwentong kutsero lang po yan. Naniniwala po kami na lahat ng ating kasundaluhan, tapat sa republika at alam po nila na hindi po talaga panahon ng pulitika ngayon. Isang taon na lang po, mag-e-eleksyon na. Puwede natin halalin ang kung sino natin gustong halalin,” Roque said.

(That’s just a hearsay. We believe that the military is faithful to the republic and they know it’s not the time for politics. In a year comes the election. We can elect who we want to elect by that time.)

“Kung tingin nila na hindi na karapat dapat ang polisiya ng Presidente, wag iboto ang magiging kandidato ng Presidente,” he added.

(If they think that the President’s policies are no longer worthy, then don’t vote for the candidate of the President.)

JPV