Palace will let AFP, DND deal with Col. Mariano

Malacañang will just allow the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of National Defense to determine appropriate sanctions, if any, against Col. Generoso Mariano. “We leave it up po doon sa pamunuan ng AFP at ng DND to determine the appropriate sanctions, if any, to address the statements of Colonel Mariano," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said at a press briefing Monday. In the video taken July 3, Mariano said soldiers were also reeling from the relentless rise in the costs of goods, medicine and food, and they can see the inability of government to put up measures to alleviate hunger. “Nararamdaman din po naming mga sundalo ang kahirapan na idinudulot ng walang humpay na pagtaas ng mga bilihin, mga gamot at pagkain. Nakikita din po namin na ang ating pamahalaan ay walang kakayanang gumawa ng mga hakbang upang i-iwas tayo sa kagutuman at kamatayan," he said. The Marine colonel said what the soldiers feel is no different than what the common Filipino feels, but he hastened to add that soldiers will never shirk from their duties to defend the citizenry. However, Valte said Mariano, deputy commander of the Naval Reserve Command, did not give specific concerns and uttered “motherhood statements". “Yung mga points po kasi na ni-raise niya are motherhood statements eh. Wala po siyang specific na pinunto talaga...Yung concerns po kasi na ni-raise niya are general," she said. Valte believed Mariano’s is an isolated case as the AFP, particularly the Navy already issued a statement they they are satisfied with the administration of President Aquino. She said the President was already informed of Mariano’s sentiments but she cannot say the latter’s reaction as she was not the one who relayed it to him. Mariano is now confined to quarters after calling for a change in government after decrying what he claimed was the Aquino administration’s apparent inability to solve the rising costs of food and medicine. - VVP, GMA News