Military to remain non-partisan in Eleksyon 2022 –spokesperson

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday maintained that the military would remain non-partisan for the May 2022 national and local elections.

“Our mandate is clear. Our task is to ensure the peace and security of the elections and allow the will of the Filipino people to manifest and prevail,” AFP spokesman Colonel Ramon Zagala said in a press statement.

This came after former National Task Force in Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson and retired Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. filed his certificate of candidacy to run for president in the coming elections.

The former military official, who was often accused of red tagging certain personalities, replaced one Antonio Valdez as the standard bearer of Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino (KDP).

Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Xerxes Trinidad said their personnel are prohibited from engaging in any kind of political activity and are tasked to only focus on ensuring an orderly polls.

“We refrain from indulging our personnel to participate in any political activity and actions of our political aspirants and candidates in order for us to assist in the conduct of a just, safe, peaceful, and orderly election,” Trinidad said in a separate statement.

Last month, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana reminded soldiers to remain neutral in light of the upcoming elections, noting that government troops are not allowed to campaign for any candidate.—Anna Felicia Bajo/LDF, GMA News

Military to remain non-partisan in Eleksyon 2022 –spokesperson
Source: Filipino Viral News PH