ARMED Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief-of-Staff Carlito Galvez Jr. cleared on Tuesday, October 2, opposition lawmakers of their alleged involvement in the plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte.
Malacañang insisted though that opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is part of the plot called "Red October," with Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. saying there was "no inconsistency" in Duterte's claim that the senator is conniving with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the former ruling party, the Liberal Party (LP), to destabilize the current administration.
But Galvez said there is no such information that may link the LP and the Magdalo Partylist in which Senator Francis Pangilinan and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV were part of, respectively, to the CPP, which was found to have been architecting an ouster plot against Duterte.
“Basically this a sinister plot of the CCP-NPA (New People’s Army). Kung makikita po natin talaga, they would like to have a coalition with the opposition... That’s why our intention is really to protect ‘yung ating legitimate opposition,” Galvez said during a hearing of the Senate committee of finance on the proposed budget of the Department of National
Defense (DND).
“But based sir on intel report sir, while the CPP would like to forge a coalition, naki-pag coalition po ba kami sir?” Trillanes asked Galvez.
“No sir,” Galvez replied.
“I’m glad Sir, at least maliwanag yun kasi talagang hindi namin gagawin ‘yun. For as long as they (CPP) are killing our soldiers, talagang magiging tubig at langis ito. Hindi talagang paghaluin ito,” Trillanes responded.
Pangilinan, LP president, noted that they will never betray the government and the people by joining such plot.
“We swore an oath to uphold and defend this Constitution, and any unconstitutional act, we will not be party to, and we will oppose,” he said.
In Palace, though, Roque said the verbal remarks of Trillanes would prove that the lawmaker is one of those hatching the plot to oust the President.
"We are convinced that some members of the LP party, Liberal Party, are in collusion with the CPP-NPA. Now, Trillanes has made no secret that he wants to oust President Duterte and I think his language speaks for itself," he said in a press conference Tuesday, October 2.
"He (Trillanes) has repeatedly called for the ouster of the President. So there is no inconsistency. He has actually verbalize time and again that he (Duterte) should step down, he should be removed from office, he should be sent to jail. There’s absolutely no inconsistency," he added.
Sought for comment on contradicting remarks between Duterte and Galvez, Roque maintained that there was a "valid" intelligence information to prove the supposed collusion among the communists, some LP members, and Trillanes.
"We’re only basing it from the statements made by Trillanes himself," the Palace official said.
"No one will admit that. But there is [intelligence] information in this regard. And As far as we are concerned, we are considering all these information as valid information and we are ready to face them," he added.
Roque, nevertheless, reiterated that the government is not considering the ouster plot as a "viable threat," stressing that Duterte still enjoys "solid" support from the public.
"In the first place, we are firmly in control. Hindi po nila magagawa itong mga scenario na ito (They cannot fulfill their plan to unseat Duterte). As I said, mag-plano sila ng lahat ng gusto nilang plano (they can do whatever they want to do), the President remains supported by the people," he said.
The AFP earlier revealed having discovered an ouster plot against Duterte being planned by a “coalition” composed of opposition sectors led by leftist leaders Rey Casambre and Satur Ocampo.
Galvez said the coalition is doing an economic sabotage where NPA members are infiltrating the labor organization of different companies and encouraging them to hold protests for not receiving the right compensation, which later on is expected to lead to the companies' closure.
During the hearing Tuesday, Galvez said the ouster plot aims to force Duterte to declare martial law nationwide.
Duterte earlier placed Mindanao under martial law due to the attack made by the Isis-inspired Maute Group in Marawi City.
“Ang nakikita namin is the President is being dragged to declare martial law nationwide...most probably a revolutionary government,” said Galvez.
Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who was also present in Tuesday's hearing, said the “coalition” will create chaos “like in Plaza Miranda” in order to force Duterte to declare martial law. (SunStar Philippines)