The Philippine military’s loyalty to the Constitution and loyalty to its leader are two distinct categories that should be properly ironed out.
It is understandable that the military or the police’s mandate is to protect the laws of the land and maintain peace and order in the country. But from what many understand is that it was unclear as to whether the soldiers and the police would also duty bound to protect leaders who violate the laws of the land.
It should not come as a surprise that when the people’s trust in the leadership has been eroded, simply because he or she was linked to some questionable transactions in government, the military or the police should still maintain the same loyalty to the same leader. When we say that the people represent the government, who elected a qualified leader to lead the country for growth and political stability, it doesn’t mean that everything the leader does should prevail over and above the mandate of the people’s will?
I understand that the military and the police, which is civilian in character, comprise of the people. Therefore, there is no reason why they should always be subservient to the whims and dictates of the leader, whose questionable governance has been tarnished by anomalous deals.
Unless the military and the police should cease from being used as a harbinger of corruption, just because some generals have owed something out of promotions and favors from the dear leader that they should abandon their commitment to the people whom they were mandated to protect, and not protect only one family.
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