IN MOVIELAND, as in fiction, we watched The Matrix. Neo believes that Morpheus, an elusive figure was said to be the most dangerous man alive, can answer his question—What is the Matrix?
In the real world, we get from The Manila Times an “exclusive” that identified some journalists and their media organizations behind an alleged plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the matrix showing the alleged link between “Bikoy” the man who has tagged the presidential family in the illegal drugs trade, and some media groups, including VERA Files, the organization that I worked with on an Asia Foundation-funded projects on EJK cold cases.
The report alleged that Vera Files president Ellen Tordesillas “acts as the nexus and distributor of the materials of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), Rappler and the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL).”
Panelo said there was a “clear” pattern of coordination among these journalists and Duterte’s enemies, citing the supposed circulation of “false news” to destabilize the current administration.
“I’m not even surprised if there is such a plot. If you notice, this has been going on. The pattern is clear -- false news, and then [it] transferred to another, and it circulates. So I’m not surprised at all,” the Sox claimed.
“They are all there, doing their thing, trying to destroy this government by spreading false news and planting intrigues against the government,” he added.
The matrix was revealed more than two weeks after the PCIJ released its report “The Dutertes: Wealth Reveal and Riddles.”
And yet the Armed Forces of the Philippines has ruled out any credible plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte. “There is always that possibility about groups wanting to oust him, but as of now, we have not seen any specific threat,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office chief Colonel Noel Detoyato.
And then the Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde also said that they are not monitoring any such plot, we get this: “As of this time, we don't have specific evidence on that,” Albayalde said, referring to the allegations in the Manila Times report.
Did Malacañang base their information on a newspaper report without consulting the intelligence agencies of security and law enforcement agencies?
Who is telling the truth? I know it’s election time and the players are not lily-white in using the smoke-and-mirrors game. All are after our hearts and minds.
But I believe what the AFP and the PNP are saying is that they have virtually called the purveyors of the matrix as...liars.
I would rather believe in the Neo of The Matrix movie.