Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa defended former President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, asserting that his recent remarks to the military were not seditious but merely a reminder of their constitutional role.
In an ambush interview, Dela Rosa dismissed claims that Duterte’s statements encouraged insurrection.
“Wala naman siyang sinabi na mag-kudeta kayo, wala naman siyang sinabi na atakihin niyo ang Malacañang. Wala naman siyang sinabi na ganon, ‘di ba? Ni-remind lang niya ang military sa papel ng military dito sa ating bansa,” he said.
(He didn’t tell them to stage a coup or attack Malacañang. He didn’t say anything like that. He just reminded the military of its role in our country.)
Context of Duterte’s Statements
In a press conference earlier this week, Duterte declared that “only the military” could correct the “fractured governance” of the Philippines. This followed a controversial remark by his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, who claimed she had hired someone to assassinate President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. if her life was threatened—a statement she later said was taken out of context.
Dela Rosa: Role of the Military
Dela Rosa backed Duterte’s comments, framing them as an educational reminder to the military about its duty to protect the nation and the Constitution.
“‘Yun naman talaga ang papel ng [That is the role of the] military to stabilize, not to destabilize, the country. Sino ba ang [Who is the] ultimate defender of the Filipino people?” Dela Rosa argued.
AFP and DOJ Reactions
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla requested the military be spared from political controversies, emphasizing its non-partisan nature. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced plans to investigate Duterte’s statements, noting they “bordered on sedition.”