MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte expressed confidence that the military will not stage a coup to oust him.
Duterte had repeatedly balked at the idea of a coup d’état against his government as he advised the military to just ask him to leave Malacañang if they thought he was no longer doing a good job as President.
“Huwag kayo maniwala niyang coup d’état, coup d’état. Hindi papayag itong General Lorenzana pati si…Puro naging chief of staff. Hindi papayag ‘yan,” Duterte said in a speech at the general assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Manila on Tuesday.
Duterte made the statement in the presence of Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana, a retired major general, and Interior secretary Eduardo Año, a former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Do not underestimate the love of country of soldiers. Kuha ko na sila ngayon eh. Naintindihan ko na sila. And I will not be surprised kung prangkahan nila ako kung ano ang mali. They can do it because ang sentimiyento ko sa kanila sundalo nila ako,” the President said.
In previous speeches, the President urged the military not to turn over the reins of government to the political opposition should they decide to oust him.
He said the military should just tap young leaders to run the government.
Duterte had even floated the idea of a military junta taking over than Vice President and opposition stalwart Leni Robredo, his constitutional successor if he would quit and leave Malacañang.
Duterte earlier informed military and police officials of his plan to quit the presidency due to continued corruption in government./PN
