Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Monday, March 24 expressed his belief that members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) should remain apolitical and committed to their duties and responsibilities to the nation.

Escudero pointed this out after being asked about Vice President Sara Duterte’s complaint that the AFP did nothing to stop her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, from being arrested and sent to The Hague to face trial for alleged crimes against humanity.

The vice president raised this matter during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s inquiry into the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against the former leader.

“Alam mo hindi ko rin maintindihan ‘yung concern na ‘yon ng ating vice president. Maliban sa ito’y pagpapatuloy ng tila mensahe na common sa kanila naumaapela palagi sa Sandatahang Lakas sa anu mang lebel, anumang isyu, anumang kaganapan (I really don’t understand the vice president’s concern, except for the fact that this seems to be a common message for them to always appeal to the armed forces on whatever level, whatever issue, whatever event),” Escudero said during a press briefing at the Senate.

“Dahil hindi ko rin maunawaan kung ano ‘yong apela niyang sinasabikaugnay noon na ‘yong Presidential Security Command daw ay under ng AFP. Pero ano ang gusto niyangpalabasin? Magbabangayan ang sundalo at ang pulis? (Because I also don’t understand her appeal then to the PSC which she said is supposedly under the AFP. But what does she want to prove? That the military and police should squabble)?” he asked.

“Klaro, law enforcement operation ‘yon na nag-assist lamang ang AFP at hindi pwedeng palagan man lang o lumaban ang AFP sa kapulisan kaugnay sa law enforcement operation (Clearly, it was a law enforcement operation that the AFP only assisted in and that the AFP cannot even ignore or fight the police since it is a law enforcement operation),” he pointed out.

“Bakit ba natin pilit na pinag-aaway ang dalawa? Ulitin ko, marahil bahagi lamang ito sa constant na apela ng kanilang panig kaugnay sa AFP nakampihan marahil sila o magkaroon ng posisyon o paninindigan sa ilan sa mga isyu na involved sila (Why are we forcing the two to fight? I repeat, this is probably just part of their constant appeal to the AFP, perhaps they took sides or had a position or stance on some of the issues they were involved in),” the Senate chief observed.

As far as he is concerned, the country’s law enforcers should remain apolitical no matter what situation the government is in.

“Hindi dapat mangampi ang AFP kaninoman. Dapat tumayo sila sa likod ng chain of command at ng Saligang Batas sa ilalim ng Commander in Chief natin (The AFP should not take sides with anyone. They should stand behind the chain of command and the Constitution under our Commander in Chief),” the Senate leader emphasized.

“At hindi para sa kanila ang maglaro ng pulitika at pumabor sa isang kulay o kabilang kulay man (And it is not for them to play politics and support one color or the other),” he said.

Escudero also said he hopes that both sides will stop wooing the Armed Forces “because we do not want them to interfere every time they find out that there is a disagreement between politicians in our country.”

“Hindi nila trabaho ang maging referee sa anumang isyu pulitika sa ating bansa (It is not their job to be the referee in any political issue in our country),” he stressed.