Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana explicitly said that an online post stating that retired and active military personnel no longer support President Rodrigo Duterte is “fake news.”
“We denounce the irresponsible propaganda being propagated in online posts alleging that a group of retired and active military officers are withdrawing their support for the President,” said Lorenzana.
According to Lorenzana, they will never be part of fake news that will only add to the problem and affect the situation in the country.
Lorenzana appealed to stop the malicious propaganda because every Filipino now needs more unity against the threat of the pandemic and the issue of the West Philippine Sea.
The secretary identified the so-called “Viber 500” and several generals in the cabinet who, apart from vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, were pushing Duterte to condemn China’s encroachment on the WPS.
Despite this, AFP Chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana junked the alleged Viber group that includes senior and junior officers from retired and active military officers.
Sobejana assured that they do not support these types of organizations which will only create more chaos in the minds of the public.
‘Withdrawal of support’ by DND, AFP to Duterte, fake news
Posts about “warplanes” came out from various countries and will land at Clark Airbase, Pampanga. He said this is an indication that those behind the post just want to make trouble.
“We have issued a statement dismissing that SMS as fake news. No such lan-dings or taking off of aircraft from other countries are taking place. The AFP is on normal alert as opposed to the claim of that spurious sender,” said Sobejana.
Sobejana advised the public to remain calm and the AFP will provide security to every Filipino.
Last week, the Philippines will file another diplomatic protest against China over 240 Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea.
In his Twitter post, Foreign Affairs Sec. Teodoro Locsin Jr. said it instructed the Department of Foreign Affairs to file a diplomatic protest.
According to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), 6 Chinese navy ships including 3 warships were spotted in the WPS.