MANILA, Philippine — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to remember their missions, alluding to his ongoing spat with members of the Duterte family.
Former president Rodrigo Duterte recently called upon the AFP to turn against the president, a call that many have deemed seditious.
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“Huwag kayong nalilinlang sa mga nangyayari. Let’s stay focused. Pare-pareho tayo,” Marcos said to the Southern Command in Camp General Guillermo Nakar in Lucena City, Quezon.
(Do not be deceived by what is happening. Let’s stay focused. We are all the same.)
Malacañang has already slammed Duterte’s remarks, but has not said anything about pursuing legal remedies.
The Department of Justice however, has said they are already monitoring Duterte. The National Bureau of Investigation may also summon the former president soon for questioning.
The president emphasized the importance of sticking to their guns.
“If you are becoming confused, just think, just remember: what is my mission? What is my mission? Your mission is to defend the people and the Republic, the people of the Republic of the Philippines and the state of the Republic of the Philippines,” Marcos said.
Marcos told the troops not to be distracted.
The AFP has already rejected calls from Duterte to turn against Marcos, saying that it was supposed to stay apolitical.
On top of the Duterte patriarch’s controversial calls to the AFP, his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte has also escalated her verbal tirades against Marcos.
The vice president has admitted that she has plans to have Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez killed if she dies.
The Dutertes’ antics have ignited responses from across all the branches of government.
While the National Bureau of Investigation probes the vice president to seek out the alleged contract killer, rumors of impeachment are also brewing in Congress.