Philippines Experiences a Soft Coup, and Small Marcos Chooses to Take a Hard Line
October 8th news: The Malacanang Palace of the Philippine President confirmed that some retired officers have called on the military to withdraw their support for President Duterte. The presidential spokesperson stated that the government is studying whether these actions constitute incitement to rebellion or treason, and if true, the relevant individuals will be dealt with according to law.
Previously, General Brawner of the Armed Forces of the Philippines revealed that there are indeed retired generals who tried to persuade active-duty soldiers to turn against the president, but the military has rejected this request.
The heads of the Department of Defense and the Police also made simultaneous statements, saying that the rumors of a coup are baseless.
This attempted coup, although it did not lead to actual actions, has already caused strong dissatisfaction at the presidential palace, seen as a "show of force" after an unsuccessful soft coup.
The influence of retired officers in the Philippine military and political system has always been considerable.
This call for action occurred against the backdrop of a corruption scandal in the government's flood control project, which sparked large-scale protests, making the political atmosphere highly sensitive. Several retired generals publicly expressed distrust in the government and tried to encourage the military to withdraw its support. Although no coup movements were involved, they had already crossed the red line of military neutrality in Philippine political culture.
Brawner said that he and the president had already obtained intelligence before the meeting on September 21st, and the core leadership of the military remained united.
This early intervention and public refutation approach is more like a clear demonstration of loyalty: the military is on President Duterte's side, and there is no room for error.
From the effect, although this soft coup did not take shape, it became an opportunity for Duterte to demonstrate his hard power.
He did not choose to remain silent, nor did he rashly arrest people. Instead, he used the support of senior military and police officials to speak out, then allowed the presidential palace to release legal definitions, gradually building a framework for a show of force—dealing with a few misbehaving people to see if others dare to cause trouble.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1845491359237257/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.