THE 10th Infantry “Agila” Division (10th ID) of the Philippine Army (PA) affirmed their non-partisan stance in the heated and ongoing political issues happening in the province of Davao del Norte.
This, after speculations and unverified information regarding the military unit’s voluntary pullout of their troops during the “Hakbang ng Maisug prayer rally” at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex in Tagum City on April 14 was exposed through a text message.
“Kung unsa ang atoang guidance from higher headquarters, so mao gyud na atoang ginasunod. We have this chain of command na dili nato pwede na siya balion (We are just following the guidance from higher headquarters. We have this chain of command that we can't easily bend,)” Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) Chief, Major Mark Anthony Tito explained, citing their loyal support to what was stated in the constitution on Wednesday, April 17 at the AFP-PNP Press Conference.
The official later added that they do not hold political biases as they are focusing on enhancing their command and control, supporting the government's holistic approach, and destabilizing the country's enemies, the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG).
Earlier this week, 10th ID Commander Major General Allan Hambala refuted the claims that there was an order to stop the military security operation during the Maisug’s third prayer rally.
It was stated in a message of Atty. Lorraine Badoy shared with Krizette Laureta Chu that Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) Leo Tereso Magno had ordered the pullout of military personnel from the rally’s venue.
“My men are not supposed to be in the immediate vicinity of the rally,” Hambala said.
Chu immediately clarified in her Facebook post saying:
“I got a message from Leo Magno, Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao, this morning to clarify a message I shared from Doc Lorraine Badoy yesterday: Hindi army, kung hindi army band lang, ang pina-pull out nila last night sa Maisug Rally in Tagum (It was not the army, it's the army band that they pulled out last night at the Maisug Rally in Tagum). So there you go! Army band lang, hindi Army. Ang importante hindi na pull out ang security as were our worry (Army band only. What’s important was that the security was not pulled out).” DEF
Related stories:
