MALACANANG yesterday said former President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte should respect the Constitution and stop being “irresponsible” after he asked the military and the police to intervene to “protect the Constitution” amid what he said is a “fracture” in government.
The military dismissed Duterte’s call and said it remains united and loyal to the Constitution while the police said it will uphold the Charter and as it respects duly-constituted authorities.
Duterte, on Monday night, said there is “a fracture in government, and only the military can see the solution.” Reviving his allegations that President Marcos Jr is a drug addict, he also asked the Armed Forces and the PNP until when they would continue to follow an “addict president.” He emphasized he is not calling for a coup d’état.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, in a statement, said it was surprising that the former president would urge the Armed Forces to go against government.
“The former president should respect the Constitution, not disobey it. He should desist from being as irresponsible as he has become,” he said.
Bersamin also said Duterte’s statements were fueled by a selfish motive that seeks to overthrow the administration so his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, can become the chief executive.
“No motive is more selfish than calling for a sitting president to be overthrown so that your daughter can take over. And he will go to great and evil lengths, such as insulting our professional Armed Forces by asking them to betray their oath, for his plan to succeed,” he added.
Bersamin said the Dutertes should follow proper procedures and wait for the right time to be in power. He said a violent usurpation of power, whether through an assassination, riots, or uprising, is “unacceptable.”
The Vice President, said to be eyeing the presidency in 2028, and Marcos were running mates in the 2022 presidential elections. She is now under government investigation for her recent death threats against Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez. She is also facing a House probe for her alleged use of millions in intelligence and confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education which she headed until June this year when she resigned.
Amid this, Bersamin said, the Marcos government “will not shirk from its sworn duty to govern and manage the affairs of the Filipino nation according to the Constitution and the Rule of Law.”
“It will defend its legacy before the Filipino people only by lawful means. The state will act resolutely to go against all unlawful attempts and challenges,” he added.
The elder Duterte said the government should focus more on the current “hemorrhage’ suffered by the country,” following alleged estafa committed by the national government, instead of on issue involving his daughter.
He was referring to the transfer of “excess” funds of P89.9 billion of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.(PhilHealth) to the National Treasury.
“Ang tingin ko na mas mabigat ng problema na dapat malaman ng Pilipino na nag-hemorrhage ang country. Pati nga yung PhilHealth na hindi dapat sa gobyerno, contribution natin yan. That is the most dangerous (I think a more serious problem that Filipinos should know is that the country has hemorrhage. PhilHealth is not for the government since it is our contribution. That is the most dangerous),” he said.
He also warned the public that even contributions to the Social Security System and the Government Service Insurance System are being used by the government after the two agencies infused funds into the Maharlika Investment Fund.
The elder Duterte also questioned the source of funds of the subsidies being given out not just by the government but by Romualdez’ office. He said while it is aimed at helping those in need, it is again being sourced from the public’s money.
He also reiterated his allegation that Marcos had been involved in illegal drugs use, and now added the name of Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr.
He did not present proof for his claims.
In January, the elder Duterte called Marcos an addict and challenged him to a drug test. He later withdrew his statement while Marcos dismissed such allegations as a result of fentanyl use. The elder Duterte had admitted to using fentanyl as a form of prescriptive pain reliever.
The Vice President agreed with her father’s comments.
“I agree with fractured governance. I agree with the assumption that he’s a drug addict because he continuously refuses to do a drug test,” Duterte told reporters at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City where her chief of staff Zuleika Lopez is confined.
She asked the uniformed personnel: “Hanggang kailan kayo mag suporta ng drug addict na presidente (Until when will you support a president who is a drug addict)?”
LOYALTY CHECK
In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said the military establishment remains “united” and loyal to the Constitution.
“At this point, there no need for loyalty check,” said Padilla, adding that AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr is confident soldiers will remain professional.
“Our chief of staff has already stated that he trusts that each soldier will perform (his or her) mandate accordingly and remain professional. Our loyalty is to the flag and to the Constitution and we adhere to the chain of command,” she also said.
In the same briefing, Navy Inspector General and concurrent Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said the military “will remain loyal to the Constitution.”
He told those spreading “misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information designed to weaken the chain of command” that the chain of command is “intact.”
On X (formerly Twitter), AFP Civil Relations Service commander Maj. Gen. Ramon Zagala said, “Our soldiers will continue to be loyal to our chain of command and to the Constitution which we swore to protect at all times.”
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said the PNP makes sure it remains
“apolitical and non-partisan.”
“With due respect to our former President, with what is happening now, such statements are not helping,” she said Fajardo.
EDSA SHRINE GATHERING
The rector of the historic EDSA Shrine said there is a sudden surge in “shrine-goers” at the Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace, Our Lady of EDSA located in the corner of EDSA and Ortigas Avenue in Quezon City.
“As early as 6 a.m. today, Nov. 26, hundreds of people trooped to EDSA Shrine for reasons only known to them, and for some, unknown to them. They were warmly allowed inside the Shrine and they participated in the celebration of the 7 a.m. Mass,” EDSA Shrine rector Fr. Jerome Secillano said in a statement.
“After the Mass, they opted to stay inside and were again accommodated and not shooed away as alleged by some. They again attended the mass at 12:15 p.m. and we were glad that they filled up the pews, which do not normally happen on weekdays,” he added.
According to reports, the crowd gathered in the EDSA Shrine are supporters of Vice President Sara Duterte. Other reports said there will be an event to commemorate the birthday of the late senator Ninoy Aquino whose death during the administration of Marcos’ father sparked the “EDSA people power revolution.”
Secillano said the “shrine-goers” will be allowed to stay inside the EDSA Shrine as long as they will practice proper decorum fitting for “a sacred place and a house of worship.”
“They will be allowed again to stay inside the shrine on the pretext that they are praying and not doing things not proper for a house of worship,” said the priest.
“Be informed that we won’t tolerate any unruly behavior and untoward activities that may compromise the sanctity and dignity of the House of God,” he added.
This means they would not be allowed to eat, drink, carry slogans, shout, vlog, sleep, make noise, debate, and loiter in areas leading to the doors of the EDSA Shrine, Secillano said. — With Wendell Vigilia and Gerard Naval