Presidential candidate Leody de Guzman said Friday he was against mandatory military service for Filipinos, saying he was against a policy of war or killings.
De Guzman was asked about an earlier proposal from vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte-Carpio to make military service mandatory for Filipinos aged 18.
"'Di ko gagawin 'yan, 'di tayo at war tulad ng South Korea na at war sa North Korea," he said during a live forum for presidential candidates hosted by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.
"Hindi ako sang-ayon sa pamamaraan ng giyera o baril o pagpatay, walang mananalo diyan sa paghahanda sa giyera dahil ang nananalo d'yan 'yung malalaking kapitalistang gumagawa ng bala at armas."
The country's war is against poverty and climate change, unionist De Guzman said. Authorities should focus instead on uplifting laborers and farmers, he said.
"Hindi 'yung utak pandarahas, hindi effective ang paraang 'yan," he said.
Under current laws, students can choose between Reserve Officer Training Corps or ROTC and civic welfare training.
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