The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Sunday belied claims that an “imminent” withdrawal of support to President Duterte is brewing following his silence and inaction on China’s incursion in the West Philippine Sea.
In a statement, AFP Chief-of-Staff General Carlito Sobejana dismissed the existence of the alleged Viber group that was composed of active and retired junior and senior members of the military.
The said group claimed that there is a dissatisfaction among military over President Duterte’s deafening silence over issues on the West Philippine Sea.
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Sobejana said that if they will create such group in the future, he disavows the presence associations of officers and enlisted personnel to such mindset.
“The AFP is a professional organization committed to safeguard democracy and protect its democratic institutions,” the statement read.
The news came after a message went viral on social media claiming that warplanes and aircraft of various countries landed at Clark Airbase.
The AFP dispeled rumors of foreign warplanes landing in PH soil adding as fake news adding that the military is “on normal alert as oppose to the claim of that spurious sender.”
“It is obvious that the motive of these malicious post is to create panic and confusion” the statement read.
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“We advised the public to remain calm and dismissed them as another disinformation,” it added.
AFP maintained that it will focus on its mission and continue to perform its constitutional mandates than be distracted by people, groups and associations advancing their own agenda.
“We will veer away, as we appeal to all quarters to spare AFP from partisan politics,” it said adding that the nation is already saddled with various challenges.
AFP assured the public that the soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines are firmly behind the chain-of-command.
