Soldiers should not take sides, says Galvez

Soldiers should follow the chain of command and refrain from taking sides in politics, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Monday

“Let us not be disturbed by the political noise and to take sides,” Galvez told soldiers present during the flag raising ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

“We need to uphold our oath and obey the Chain of Command from the President, SND, down to our office chiefs and Section/Squad Leaders,” he added.

Galvez’ comments came amid talks of some soldiers conniving with groups planning to overthrow the Duterte administration.

According to former AFP chief of staff and current Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, the administration has monitored efforts to recruit soldiers and policemen to join an ouster plot called “Red October.”

Duterte also lamented that despite the increases in soldiers’ salaries, some have opted to join destabilization movements, which he attributes to the Liberal Party, the Magdalo group, and Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) rebels.

All three groups have denied involvement in the alleged ouster plot, saying that it is ‘far-fetched’ and “merely a figment of the President’s imagination.”

READ: Duterte says some soldiers conniving with Liberal Party, Reds to oust him

READ: Aquino, Robredo insist: LP conniving with ‘Reds’ is ‘a far-fetched idea’

RED: ‘Red October’ plot is Duterte admin’s ‘height of paranoia’ — Makabayan bloc

The AFP’s top general also asked soldiers to unite amid contentious issues and to carry out their responsibilities.

“Let us remain solid and true to our oath, mandate and always undivided,” Galvez said. /ee