Former president Rodrigo Duterte only reminded the military of its constitutional duty to protect the people, contrary to Malacañang's understanding that he aims to inflict hate or revenge.
Former presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said this on Tuesday, Nov. 26, following the statement of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin calling out Duterte for saying that there is a fractured governance in the Philippines today and only the military can correct it. Bersamin said overthrowing a sitting president through murder, inciting rebellion, or sowing chaos in order to seize the highest position of the land is "unacceptable."
Panelo defended Duterte saying: "PRRD only reminded the military of its constitutional duty to protect the people from the internal and external attack , and from those who violate the basic charter and other laws of the land."
"PRRD did not tumultuously, by force or intimidation or by any unlawful means to attain the circumstances mentioned in Article 139 of the Revised Penal Code, like preventing the execution of any law, or prevent the national government or any of its officials exercising its or his functions, to inflict any hate or revenge upon the person or property of a public officer to commit any act of hate or revenge upon private persons or any class of persons, or to despoil any person or the government or any of its instrumentality, its properties, for political and social end," Panelo further said.
The former presidential spokesperson also pointed out that the former chief executive thumbed down the calls to launch people power movement reminiscent of the EDSA Revolution.
He also said that Duterte's reminder to the military of its duty under the Constitution to protect the people is part of the freedom of speech.
This series of exchanges between the Duterte camp and President Marcos came after Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of the former president, made a death threat against the President, his wife, and his cousin which she issued over the weekend out of fear for her own security.
For the first time, Marcos retaliated over his former ally's threat and tirades, saying he will not let it slide and will fight back.
READ MORE: Marcos hits back at VP Sara's threat: 'Ang katotohanan ay hindi dapat i-tokhang