DND's Teodoro: Those calling for gov't 'reset' on Nov. 30 rallies may be arrested

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Friday warned that protesters who will call for a military-backed "reset" during the massive anti-corruption rallies on November 30 may be arrested. 

In an ambush interview, Teodoro said such calls are "totally illegal" and would be considered inciting to sedition. 

"What you cannot do directly, you cannot do indirectly in the law. So when you say withdrawal of support, it's an indirect way of saying, 'I'll take over,' which is illegal," the Defense chief said. 

Asked if charges may be filed against individuals who would push for a government reset to unseat President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, Teodoro said, "Puwede, sa tingin ko ha… Pwedeng hulihin." 

(That's possible. I think so... They may be arrested.) 

"I mean, it's illegal. It's an indirect way, it's an artful way, na if any prosecutor naman is listening, hindi maniniwala, of saying what you are not allowed to say. So pero nasa pulis na 'yun," he added. 

(I mean, it's illegal. It's an indirect way, it's an artful way—if any prosecutor is listening and won't believe this—of saying what you are not allowed to say. But that's up to the police.) 

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson over the weekend said he received, and ignored, offers from some retired military personnel to join a "civil-military junta" aiming to remove Marcos and Duterte from office.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) later maintained that there is no military junta within its organization and that it would not engage into such activities.

"The AFP will never subscribe to any reset plot and our Constitution has no cheat codes. So we will always go to the side of the Constitution, the constitutional processes that are in place," AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News