(Eagle News) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines will no longer pursue a case against comedienne Mae Paner for what they said was her unauthorized use of a military uniform during a rally against martial law in Mindanao.
AFP Chief of Staff General Eduardo Año said in a statement read by AFP spokesperson Restituto Padilla on Friday that the change of heart was borne by reports Paner, also known as Juana Change, did not ridicule soldiers “but even praised the sacrifices” of the men in uniform during the rally she attended wearing the uniform on the day of President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address.
Año said there was also information that “she did this in the interest of the arts, being a recognized comedian.”
“Based on this information and other findings, the AFP will no longer pursue the case..,” he said.
Año, however, called on Paner and “other unauthorized individuals to henceforth desist from the inappropriate use of our uniforms.”
He said these individuals “must understand” that soldiers see the uniform as “sacred” given the fact that it is what they use whenever they “go to battle.”
Asked if those “unauthorized individuals” included Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson, who wore what appeared to be a military uniform in one of the President’s sorties, Padilla said hers was not an actual military uniform, but “one that can be bought commercially.”
He added Uson was “in the process of becoming a reservist,” something Paner was not.
“(What Paner wore is) the same uniform many of our heroes die wearing in the battlefield, and in the defense of the motherland and our people,” Año said.
The AFP chief added that if it was Paner’s “desire to extol the sacrifice gallantry, and dedication to duty of all our soldiers, and (she wants to) help recruit more patriotic Filipinos to the Armed Forces,” the military was “open to have (her) among the ranks of patriotic reservists who without hesitation continue to be among our most ardent partners for change.”
Padilla noted she could also be part of a group of actors and actresses who volunteer to entertain the uniformed men, whether in the hospital or in the battlefield.
“Para nang sa gayon, authorized na siya magsuot ng uniporme, anomang klase ito,” Padilla said.
