By Raïssa Robles
In this piece, which I submitted to South China Morning Post, I tried to gauge how military officers feel about their Commander-in-Chief Rodrigo Duterte’s repeated appeal to them to form a military junta and succeed him.
For the longest time, I had not contacted sources in the military. I know that they have tried to remain non-political and I did not want to put them in a spot.
But these are extraordinary times.
I was ready to be rebuffed.
However, at least one active duty senior military officer shared his thoughts with me. Here is my piece which includes what he told me.
IF DUTERTE IS TOO ILL TO LEAD THE PHILIPPINES, WHO IS NEXT IN LINE FOR POWER?
Duterte has undermined his constitutional successor, Vice-President Leni Robredo, and appears to have given tacit approval instead to the idea of a junta forming to replace him
BY RAISSA ROBLES
9 OCT 2018
President Rodrigo Duterte last week disclosed for the first time he may be seriously ill, sparking intense speculation over who would take over leadership of the Philippines should he be unable to continue. And while the official word from the administration indicates the president is clear of cancer, the looming question of succession has seen five groups step up their efforts to vie for power.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
A senior military officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there was “simply no basis” for any military officer to take power. He added: “I don’t see any [instance] even in the history of our country when we even got close to that.”
He said some civilians had asked officers to “do something” if they did not support Duterte: “I tell them – that’s like opening Pandora’s box. We had a hard time closing Pandora’s box. Why should we again open it?”
The officer added that the armed forces had been on a “long road to professionalism” since coup attempts were staged from 1986 to 1989, and again in 2001, 2003, and 2007.
When asked who might be in a position to form a military junta, he said only a very senior ranking officer such as the armed forces chief of staff could pull it off. But he noted the incumbent, General Carlito Galvez Jnr, would retire in December.
Rolly says
“The officer recalled only two instances of senior generals being able to successfully remove a sitting president. One was in 1986, involving then-president Fidel V. Ramos, and the other was in 2001, involving former armed forces chief of staff Angelo Reyes.”
To say that Ramos removes Marcos is somewhat like misinforming for the millennial.
It was the People Power that dispatches the authoritarian Marcos.
The order was to pounce and pulverize Ramos-Enrile tandem, only to be thwarted by the throng of determined citizenry who really wanted to see the collapse of Marcos’ abusive regime.
raissa says
True. I told him that. But this is his view.
arc says
die hard duterte supporter yata yang officer na kausap ni raissa, and it shows. I mean, how could an officer be ignorant of what’s around him and not know major event as edsa people’s power? our people’s power was widely copied the world over with captive nations also making bid for freedom. some were successful, some not so.
no wonder po, the military cannot launch junta, lacking the necessary background and will power. the military today is follower and wanted to be dictated to, easier that way, no hard work and no sweat. easy peasy life. and the wife is happy.
leona says
This country has had no history of being ruled by a military JUNTA. But it does not mean one could be in place.
If the country, as now, with a single person as ruling President, cannot do it the way things are expected to be done, how will a JUNTA composed of 3 or more people, military mostly, govern any better that a one-man President?
Two things can happen under a Mil JUNTA: 1.) it might be successful and good. Or 2.) It might be a start of a bloody disorder between mil vs mil, between civilians vs mil, rebels vs mil, or ALL of the above. The end-game has no guarantee for either of the two alternatives.
It would just be nice for the Military to follow the rule of law. With that the Mil will have a good chance of being intact and continue to exist. Otherwise, it might just commit its own self destruction at the expense of the country and people.
arc says
tama po, the military cannot launch junta, wala silang template at walang precedent, virgin in that regard ang military. not like parades na practice sila ng practice, hanggang perfect ang marcha, straight ang lines at face right lahat. ang kikintab pa ng mga sapatos, buttons very shiny rin, battle regalia ay regalia lang po, all exercises ang battle formation against imaginary enemy.
just look at marawi city. 200 bunch of ragtag rebels against the whole might of the military, the well fed and armed military, well paid and disciplined kuno, trained here and overseas yang military and yet, it took them 3months to contain the rebels. if help, aid and assistance from allies like america, australia, japan, etc, not been helping the military. . . no, I refused to think what might happen.
arc says
agree ako totally for the military to follow the rule of law, instead of following blindly a stupid man just because he gives medals, watches, cell phones, overseas trips, etc.
Ancient Mariner says
A little bit off at a tangent but still on topic, could it be that DU30’s recent, so called, “family vacation” to Hong Kong was simply clever subterfuge for a visit to a health specialist?
arc says
he went to hongkong kuno to get 2nd opinion and still diagnosis is – he’s mental! he, he, he.