Generals asked: Will you fire at civilians if ordered by 'lunatic' president?

The Commission on Appointments led by its chair Senate President Franklin M. Drilon (4th from left, seated), approved the ad-interim appointments of 196 generals, flag and senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Wednesday, June 01, 2016. The confirmation of the military officials came just days ?before the 16th Congress adjourns sine die next week. In photo are (from left) Senators Gringo Honasan, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Koko Pimentel, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Rodolfo Fariñas, and Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez

Before consenting to the promotion of close to 200 military generals, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday posed an intriguing question on what soldiers should do in case a "lunatic" president orders them to fire on civilians.

“Can I ask you sir regarding this hypothetical situation? If the commander-in-chief, the duly elected president would ask, out of a whim, the military to shoot all the civilians, what would now be the action of the Armed Forces in case such an order is given?” Trillanes asked Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr. during a hearing of the bicameral Commission on Appointments.

Padilla, an air force officer, is among the star-ranked senior military officers whose promotion passed through the Commission on Appointments.

Recalling the events that led to the ouster of President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986, Padilla replied that the AFP never used force against civilians during the people power revolt because "within the ranks of the military leadership, a serious debate was conducted."

Padilla also agreed with Trillanes, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy who had served as a junior officer of the Philippine Navy, that the use of force should be carefully assessed. 

“So it’s clear to the Armed Forces in case you have a lunatic for a president in the future — it’s just a hypothetical situation — who will now use and abuse the power given to him and assume that the Armed Forces will just follow every order given to them. So it’s reassuring to hear that, sir,” Trillanes added.

Asked by reporters after the hearing if the commander-in-chief he was referring to was President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, Trillanes said: "Wala. It was hypothetical."

Duterte, the outgoing Davao City mayor, was swept into the presidency last May 9 on a campaign promise to suppress corruption and criminality within three to six months.

He even vowed during his profanity-laced campaign to pardon himself for mass murder of criminals if elected.

Trillanes, a critic of Duterte, earlier denied insinuation that he was part or hatching a plan to unseat the incoming president through military coup.

The senator said Duterte, whom he accused during the campaign of hiding ill-gotten wealth, can only be removed through impeachment if the latter violates the Constitution. — APG, GMA News