President Duterte is expected to go down in history books as the only commander in chief in the history of the Armed Forces, who, in every order he makes, not only rattles soldiers, but would leave commanders on their own to explain that such directives are not yet final, and subject to clarifications, not from the President himself but from his subalterns.

Oftentimes, it has been observed that the President’s orders are reversed or, worse, outcommanded by his own subordinate defense officials and senior military officers.

During the past weeks, Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana was preoccupied in explaining and clarifying Mr. Duterte’s defense and security pronouncements, admitting that one has to “see the many finer points” of some of these policy directives.

“He’s a very poor commander, an erratic commander in chief whose orders are subject to challenge every time,” an Army junior officer remarked.

“I would not go into battle with him as my commander. We will all die. He will order for an attack, and yet, in the middle, he will backtrack,” he added, referring to Mr. Duterte’s penchant to reverse or, worse, blur his own orders or statements. President Duterte has issued a number of directives in the form of strong statements over the past weeks, most of them concerning the country’s defense and security relations with the United States, but his officials said all of them, except one, are not yet final.

Before he was elected, Mr. Duterte said he would ride a Jet Ski into the West Philippine Sea, apparently to assert the country’s claims against China, only to establish a China-leaning diplomacy after he was elected.

Not contented, he also ordered the military to procure weapons and other armaments from China, and even Russia, only to be reminded by Lorenzana that it may not work out, since the Armed Forces has been used to handling Western-supplied weapons.

Firearms maybe, but not other weapons, the defense chief said.

Initializing his anti-American rhetoric, the Commander in Chief said US Special Forces troops assisting Filipino soldiers in the counterterrorism operations in Mindanao should go because in no way they are helping, but Lorenzana and even Malacañang officials said the pullout is not yet final.

The Palace even offered explanations that President Duterte is only concerned with the safety of the American soldiers.

On the other hand, Lorenzana said they need to brief the President and give him the “real picture.”

Unlike past presidents who have solid appreciation of the issues in the Armed Forces, Mr. Duterte has the habit of issuing strong but controversial statements, only to backtrack later.

“His mouth sets the tone for his mind to follow,” one soldier said. “The President should be reminded by people around him that anything he says will automatically forms part of the government’s policy, the military not exempted,” he added.

The problem with the Commander in Chief, as former President Fidel V. Ramos has observed, is “he is not listening.”

President Duterte has also said he no longer wants the conduct of joint patrols with the US in the South China Sea, of which, in the first place, none has happened yet, and that he favors a review of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

Malacañang officials said these pronouncements of Mr. Duterte are not yet final, as they went on to clarify and explain these pronouncements.

However, as the Commander in Chief wanted the Philippine Bilateral Exercise, which closed on Tuesday as the last exercise between the US and the country, Lorenzana has informed US military officials that it will be so.

But again last week, President Duterte said he was ready to break ties with the US, but on Tuesday, he changed his stand and said he would not cut military ties with the Americans, although he was asking himself whether such partnership is still needed.

“The President is losing credibility because of his double talk. He should exert effort to study, acquaint himself of issues before he opens his mouth,” another military officer said.

He added Mr. Duterte’s security policy with the US is something that the Armed Forces is closely following, but their Commander in Chief’s “dangerous liaison” with China is “deeply troubling,” which could break the tie for military.