No direct threat to Duterte’s life—Palace

Malacañang on Thursday conceded that there was no direct threat against President Duterte, but the authorities were constantly ensuring his total security given that he had made powerful enemies.

“As we all know, the President has made a lot of powerful enemies with his political will and decisive leadership in fighting drugs, criminality and corruption,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

The Palace was reacting to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s dismissal on Wednesday of the President’s claim that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was plotting to assassinate him.

The President might have based his “fears” on the books he had read, Lorenzana said.

“Although there is no direct threat to his life, as Secretary Lorenzana (had) mentioned, the defense and security sectors, including the Presidential Security Group, take all threats to the life of the President seriously,” Roque said.

In a television interview on Wednesday, Philippine National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde also said they had no information on the supposed CIA plot, but that the police was prepared to protect Mr. Duterte from any impending danger.