MALACAÑANG on Monday, July 8, brushed aside the claim of communist leader Jose Maria "Joma" Sison that the United States (US) could instigate a coup d'etat against President Rodrigo Duterte.
Speaking to Palace reporters, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo branded Sison's claim as nothing but a mere "wishful thinking."
"That's wishful thinking coming from a tired, old, failed, revolutionary [leader]. He has to wake up from a half century of sleep because 50 years, 50 years, they have been fighting," the Palace official said.
Panelo was confident that the US would not heed the communist leader's call.
"It's wishful thinking. Why? Apart from the US will not listen to him, a country which he abhors in the first place, he hates to the bone, Filipinos trust this President. The military and the police love this President," he said.
Panelo said it's pitiful that Sison has to rely on a foreign country to effect a change of leadership in the Philippines.
"It is an admission in fact that their revolution has failed," he added.
On Saturday, July 6, Sison claimed that the US could convince the Philippine military and the police to arrest Duterte for being a "traitor."
The communist founder made the remark after the President challenged the US to wage war with China amid the long-standing disputes over the resourch-rich South China Sea.
Sison said the US does not need to fire the first shot against China, as Washington could instruct the Philippine security forces to take Duterte into custody as a traitor and install Vice President Leni Robredo as successor.
Sison also alleged that Duterte has been "heavily bribed" by China.
Panelo, however, dismissed Sison's claim that the President is being bribed by Beijing.
"[It is] not only misplaced. It's absolutely false. What bribery is he talking about? He must be having nightmares," he said. (SunStar Philippines)