Military vows to remain loyal to Constitution amid Palace's coup talk

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday vowed to remain loyal to the State after Malacañang said President Rodrigo Duterte has received information about a possible coup against him.

In a statement, AFP spokesman Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo maintained that the military is the protector of all Filipinos and the State.

"That is our constitutional mandate and we will abide by it," he said.

Arevalo said the AFP, including all soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines, has been committed to becoming a "partner-catalyst" for national well-being by providing the security needed to spur development and good governance.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo earlier said Duterte may have obtained information that the military was restive and could stage a coup d’etat against his administration.

Panelo said this could have prompted the President to call on the lawmakers of the lower chamber of Congress to amend the present Constitution before his term ends.

"Ang premise noon, under the Constitution, the AFP is the protector of the people. So kung ang military alam nila na maraming kalokohan, maraming korapsyon... Alam na ng military iyon, so nagre-react sila doon, bakit ganyan," Panelo said.

"In other words, I think it’s a fair warning to all na baka pag nagalit iyan, biglang mag-coup iyang mga iyan," he added.

Duterte has earlier asked security forces not to stage a coup d'etat against the government under his term.

Both the military and police had assured the President that there have been no plans of staging an uprising. —KBK, GMA News