MindaNews fact-checked the claims of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque that Task Force (TF) Davao will be disbanded as Dabawenyos expressed concern that the city’s security will be weakened if such will happen. His claim is false, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The AFP has refuted the claims of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque that the Task Force Davao will be disbanded.
In his Facebook live on Sunday, February 4, Roque said former President Rodrigo Duterte called him to say the latter “would be arrested anytime.”
Although he did not say by whom, he was apparently referring to the International Criminal Court where Duterte is presently being investigated for his alleged crimes against humanity during his bloody war on drugs.
Following Duterte’s call, Roque, a lawyer, added “nag amoy-amoy ako” (I sniffed around), and claimed “the arrest anytime of Duterte” seemed “true” as he gathered information that “Task Force Davao would be dissolved.”
“Alam nila na loyal sa mga Duterte itong Task Force Davao, so parang nagkaroon nga ng — well, ‘yan po ang ugong-ugong ngayon — na bubuwagin daw ang Task Force Davao,” Roque said.
(Translation: They know that Task Force Davao is loyal to the Duterte (family). There’s information going around that Task Force Davao will allegedly be disbanded.)
Task Force Davao was established on April 16, 2003, after the terror attacks on the Davao International Airport and Sasa Wharf. Its headquarters is located at the Sta. Ana Wharf in Barangay Leon Garcia.
However, on Tuesday, February 6, the AFP leadership, through its Chief-of-Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. and spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad, disputed Roque’s claim of abolishing TF Davao.
“Hindi po totoong bubuwagin natin ang Task Force Davao. Instead, magdadagdag pa ho tayo ng mga task forces sa mga lugar na talagang nangangailangan ng pwersa natin para mapanatili ang kapayapaan (There is no truth to the information that we will abolish Task Force Davao. Instead, we will add more task forces in areas that need our presence to maintain peace),” Brawner said in a video handed out by the AFP.
“[T]here is no such issuance of any directive for the disbandment of Task Force Davao,” the Inquirer quoted Trinidad as saying.
The Davao City-based The Mindanao Times interviewed on Monday 10th Infantry Division spokesperson Major Mark Anthony Tito, who said they did not receive any order regarding the unit’s disbandment.]
“Wala man order na buwagon ang TF Davao. Wala man na siya nahisgutan (There was no order to demobilize the TF Davao. It wasn’t talked about),” Tito said.
As of 10:18 a.m. Wednesday, February 7, Roque’s Facebook video generated 22,000 views, 996 reactions, 270 comments and 153 shares.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday, Roque said he welcomes the clarification and assurance from the AFP that they will not disband Task Force Davao anytime soon.
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