Trillanes: Support of ex-AFP, PNP brass belie claims Leni has Red support

The support of former military and police officers belies insinuations that Vice President Leni Robredo has the backing of communist rebels, senatorial candidate Antonio Trillanes IV said on Wednesday.

Trillanes made the remark after a lawmaker indicated that among those who attended Robredo's campaign rally in Cavite were activists trained by the National Democratic Front.

“Former AFP and PNP chiefs, all anti-insurgency veterans, have come out for Leni, and their support belies the fake news peddled by conspiracy theorists. The retired generals will not put their hard-won reputation on the line by saying that the vice president is ready to step up as commander-in-chief," Trillanes said.

"The former generals are consumers, writers, assemblers of intelligence reports, so they know  that the black propaganda against the vice president is bad intelligence," he added.

Just last March 7, Robredo met with former generals of the Armed Forces and the National Police, including retired Police Maj. Gen. Generoso Cerbo Jr. and retired Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan who spoke in a press conference as to why they are backing for president.

The former generals said they support Robredo because of her “moral strength” and “integrity,” adding that the vice president has “the program of action ... that would address the various things regarding national defense and security.

“Kung naniniwala sila sa black propaganda laban kay Leni, hindi sila pipirma ng manifesto, hindi sila mangangampanya para kay Leni," added the former senator.

(If they believe such black propaganda [linking the vice president to terrorists] is true, these retired generals will not campaign for VP Leni.)

In a media briefing on Monday, retired Police Maj. Gen. Generoso Cerbo Jr. and retired Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan confirmed that “there are a lot” of former AFP and PNP chiefs of staff and other senior officers who are supporting Robredo’s candidacy.

The former generals said they support Robredo because of her “moral strength” and “integrity,” adding that the vice president has “the program of action... that would address the various things regarding national defense and security.”

Prior to the March 7 statement of former generals Cerbo and Tutaan, four retired military chiefs-of-staff  namely Emmanuel Bautista, Jessie Dellosa, Hernando Iriberri, and Eduardo Oban Jr. also came out to support Robredo.

In a statement, the former military officials said they “share our people's aspirations for a government led by a president who is competent, experienced and committed to the principles of integrity, democracy, and genuine public service.”

They said Robredo is the best candidate who embodies their aspirations “with her solid track record of serving the public... the qualities of an ideal chief executive and commander in chief of our Armed Forces.”