MANILA, Philippines — General Benjamin Acorda reminded the 200,000-strong Philippine National Police (PNP) to ignore the “political noise” and focus on fulfilling their duties to protect the people and maintain peace and order in the country.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said Acorda issued the instruction to officers and personnel through all police regional directors nationwide.
“Ang sinasabi ng ating Chief PNP through [his] respective regional directors na i-remind po ang mga kapulisan na ‘wag tayong makinig sa mga nababalitaan natin na mga ‘political noise’,” Fajardo said in a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Wednesday.
(What our Chief PNP is saying through [his] respective regional directors is to remind the police officers not to listen to the ‘political noise’ that we hear.)
Acorda’s reminder followed the recent spat between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former president Rodrigo Duterte, who unleashed harsh accusations against his successor.
In a rally in Davao City on January 28, Duterte called Marcos “a drug addict president.” He even claimed that Marcos used to be on the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) watch list. But PDEA denied this.
Duterte also warned Marcos that he might meet the same fate as his father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who was overthrown by a popular uprising in February 1986.
The PNP, however, said Wednesday that it had not monitored any plot to overthrow the administration of Marcos Jr.
Fajardo also urged interest groups to spare the police force even as the PNP respects everyone’s freedom of speech.
“Ang ating pakiusap sa ating mga interest groups, nirerespeto po ng PNP ‘yung kanilang karapatang magpahayag ng kanilang damdamin, pabor o laban sa sinumang grupo, kasama na ang administrasyon; ang pakiusap lang po sana natin, please spare the Philippine National Police,” she stressed.
(Our request to our interest groups is that the PNP respects their right to express their feelings, in favor or against any group, including the administration; we’re just asking, please spare the Philippine National Police.)
“Alam po natin ang ating mandato at mananatili tayo sa pagtupad ng ating tungkulin at kasama na po dyan sa pag-uphold at pag-respeto sa rule of law,” she added.
(We know our mandate and will continue to fulfill our duty, including upholding and respecting the rule of law.)
On Tuesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said they remain non-partisan amid the political bickering.