Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has directed all camp personnel nationwide to stop interfering with any political activity after a now viral post on social media narrated the encounter of a supporter of Vice President Leni Robredo with a military officer in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
"If your car has a ribbon representing the color of a candidate or a sticker of a candidate that you support and you come inside any camp without violating regulations, that’s fine," Lorenzana said on Saturday night, Feb. 19.
"I have directed the commanders to implement this policy strictly," he added.
The issue stemmed from a Facebook post of a supporter of Robredo, who is running for president in the May elections, after he was confronted by a military officer at the Camp Aguinaldo Golf Course inside the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Apparently, Robredo's supporter, a digital marketing executive, went to Camp Aguinaldo Golf Course to play last Friday when he was stopped at the gate by a military officer.
The officer allegedly flagged him since his car carried a pink ribbon, a color associated with Robredo's campaign.
"Walang ribbon dito (There should be no ribbon here)," the military officer "arrogantly" said, according to Robredo's supporter.
The military officer then supposedly asked Robredo's supporter to cut the ribbon tied to his wind shield before he was allowed to enter the camp premises.
"Tama pa ba ito? Okay pa ba kayo? Or takot na takot na? (Is this even right? Are you all okay? Or are you afraid now?)," the supporter said.
Lorenzana reiterated that all military personnel should not involve thenselves in any political activity, whether it would be in favor or against a certain candidate.
"We have no business whatsoever what people put in their cars or what to wear for as long as they do not violate camp regulations," Lorenzana noted.