President Ferdinand Marcos instructed Filipino soldiers at the Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) on Friday to stay focused on their mandate to defend the republic and not to be distracted by the ongoing political noise.
“Don’t be fooled by what’s going on. Let’s stay focused,” said the Commander-in-Chief during his visit to members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Camp Guillermo Nakar in Lucena City, Quezon.
President Marcos advised soldiers to drown out the noise and focus on their duties amid political squabbles. He issued this statement days after former President Rodrigo Duterte made destabilizing remarks against his leadership.
“What I do when there’s too much noise and commotion, I always think to myself, what is my job really? Is it my job to pick a fight? Is it my job to debate over meaningless things? No, my job is to make the Philippines better. As for you, you have your own mission, too,” Mr. Marcos said in Tagalog.
Duterte earlier this week urged the military to withdraw support from the Marcos administration and intervene to “correct” what he described as “fractured governance.”
The incumbent Commander-in-Chief reiterated to the soldiers their mandate to defend the Filipinos and the republic. “Let’s keep that mission clear in our mind,” President Marcos said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive lauded SOLCOM for its accomplishments in fighting communist insurgency. He reminded the troops about the country’s transition from internal to external defense amid the current geopolitical situation.
He also commended the AFP for responding to the recent calamities in the country.
