DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday, December 11, dismissed the alleged ouster plot against President Rodrigo Duterte as "fake news."
“The first time I saw that posting, I said it’s a fake news and I still maintain that that is a fake news,” Lorenzana said, when asked if the military has information on the alleged ouster plot revealed by Presidential son Paolo Duterte.
Last weekend, Paolo posted on his Facebook account a list dubbed “Anti-Administration Group, Oust Duterte Movement,” which allegedly aims to unseat his father.
Among the personalities included in the list were Vice President Leni Robredo, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, Senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros, former senator Francisco Tatad and several former government officials who were members of the opposition party particularly that led by former President Benigno Aquino III.
The list also tagged church leaders including Bishop Broderick Pabilo, Bishop Leo Drona, Bishop Antonio Tobias, Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen, Bishop Pablo David and Bishop Arturo Santos.
Big companies like Jollibee Food Corp, Dole Philippines, PLDT, Philsaga Mining Corp., General Tuna Corp., and Sumi Philipines Wiring System were also implicated.
Other former government officials who were implicated include former Social Welfare secretary Dinky Soliman, former Budget secretary Butch Abad, former police chief Allan Purisima, former executive secretary Paquito Ochoa, former Agrarian Reform secretary Rene Villa, former anti-poverty commission head Imelda Nicolas, former Finance secretary Cesar Purisima, former Customs chief Alberto Lina, former Trade secretary Juan Santos, former Customs commissioner Guillermo Parayno, and former political adviser Ronald Lamas. (SunStar Philippines)