EDITORIAL - They should be neutral

A policeman is now facing charges for inciting to sedition after he allegedly called on fellow policemen to rise up against the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

The policeman, identified as Patrolman Francis Steve Tallion Fontillas, allegedly made the call in his social media account while wearing his full uniform.

"When the arrest of the former president took place, he started to do vlogs and make comments. Because of that, the QCPD director asked him to report to duty but he refused to report. He said he will not report until his medical leave is over. However, his medical leave was disapproved because he was not able to present a medical certificate to justify the need for it," said PNP spokeswoman, Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo.

Fontillas has challenged the charges against him.

“Inciting to sedition daw ‘yung ginagawa ko? Hahaha. Okay lang ba kayo? I only expressed my stand and my principles. Where’s our right to freedom of expression now? Kawawa naman ang Pilipinas. Hahaha,” he said.

Let’s get this straight; it is not wrong for anyone to have an opinion on any subject matter whatsoever. There is also nothing wrong with expressing said opinion in any platform of one’s choosing. But the case is different for policemen, soldiers, sailors, and those in similar occupations that involve the security of the state. Their very job dictates that they should be neutral in matters of politics.

Sure, they aren’t barred from having an opinion, but expressing these in public is bound to cause chaos because of the very nature of their job, which is to provide security and ensure the peace and order of an entire nation. This goes double for them calling for any kind of action, more so if that action they are calling for is to rise up against the duly-installed government they are supposed to uphold.

We should also not forget that policemen, even those of lowliest rank, are figures of authority. For someone in a position of authority to attack the very institution he is supposed to uphold doesn’t look well for anyone in uniform.

Then there is always the chance that someone somewhere will take his words seriously. Considering how charged and tense the political atmosphere still is, there is no need to add fuel to the fire.