Vice President Sara Duterte criticized the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday for remaining silent on the arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was flown to The Hague, Netherlands from Villamor Air Base.
The AFP, which operates under the command of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has generally refrained from commenting on political matters, maintaining its commitment to the chain of command and the Constitution.
Duterte, who is currently in The Hague, appeared virtually before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to question the legality of her father’s arrest on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant. She accused the AFP of standing by while the Philippine National Police (PNP) took control of the military airbase to carry out the arrest.
“Even more disturbing is the silence of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Why did the AFP stand idly by when a former commander in chief was taken from a military base under questionable circumstances?” Duterte said in an ABS-CBN News report.
She was also barred from entering Villamor Air Base during the arrest. Police Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre, head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, later confirmed that he ordered the restriction to prevent possible chaos.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro responded to Duterte’s remarks, stating that the military’s role in law enforcement is limited. “Our sole mandate is to support the PNP when requested. That is the extent of our department’s and the AFP’s participation,” he said.
Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on March 11 based on an ICC warrant for alleged crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s deadly war on drugs. Human rights groups have long condemned enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests under various Philippine administrations.
Despite speculation, the AFP denied reports of resignations within its ranks following Duterte’s arrest, emphasizing its commitment to professionalism and neutrality.
