Retired senior officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday, March 7, expressed support for the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo because of her “moral strength” and “integrity.”
Retired Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan and former PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. said that Robredo has the "program of action" to address national defense and security concerns.
“Yung sinasabi namin, ng kampo ng vice president, sa gobyernong matapat, angat buhay ang lahat, mararamdaman natin na totoo. Hindi ito slogan lang para kumuha ng boto, (What we and the camp of the vice president are saying, in an honest government, all lives will improve, you will feel that it is true. This is not a slogan just to get votes),” Cerbo said in a media briefing at the Leni-Kiko Volunteer Center in Quezon City.
“Makikita mo sa kanya yung moral strength and integrity na kailangan natin sa mamumuno sa ating bayan sa susunod na anim na taon (You will see in her the moral strength and integrity that we need in the leader of our country in the next six years),” he added.
Although he did not mention names, Tutaan said that retired PNP chiefs and AFP chiefs-of-staff are also part of their group both in Manila and the provinces.
They even held a Zoom meeting with the other generals before the press conference.
Those who attended the meeting were former Armed Forces chiefs of staff Gen. Eduardo Oban and Gen. Hernando Iriberri, and former Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Alexander Pama, among others.
Cerbo said that he speaks on behalf of his “friends, classmates, and mistah” in endorsing Robredo’s candidacy for president. Tutaan also said his presence there was an endorsement.
“Kami po ay para kay VP (We are for VP),” he said, adding that as retired members of the military and police, they are also stakeholders in ensuring the future of the country.
Tutaan praised Robredo for seeking inputs from their groups in developing a program of government for national defense and security issues.
“Si Vice President, ano yan eh (Vice President is) very inclusive, she really wants to get the ideas or inputs of all sectors concerned in order to come up with the best policies guidelines that she might have,” he said, and read out loud her “programa sa seguridad (security program).”
A former AFP spokesman, Tutaan stressed that like them, Robredo believes that “security is a process”.
“This is not a first time. We had this a few months back with the AFP group, AFP retirees, PNP retirees. We’re happy na pinapakinggan nya kami (that she listens to us). She listens to the inputs and discussions we have as far as these matters are concerned,” he added.
Although the AFP and PNP are apolitical in nature, Tutaan shared their efforts “to continue to insulate the AFP the active service and the PNP active service from partisan politics” to protect the rights to suffrage this May elections.