CPP says Duterte abusing power by ordering arrest of Trillanes

President Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)

DAVAO CITY —The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) compared President Rodrigo Duterte to former dictator President Ferdinand Marcos for ordering the arrest of his fiercest critic, the former mutineer-turned-senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

In a statement posted on its website, the CPP also said Duterte was only fomenting “further division and dissent” among key military and police officials,” in ordering Trillanes’s arrest.

“He abused his power and trampled on the legal processes of his own government,” the CPP said.

“His assault against Trillanes satisfies his desire for vengeance, as well as that of Gloria Arroyo’s. By ordering the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] to carry out his order, he has virtually transformed the AFP as his own private army, but in doing so, he has fomented further dissent and divisions among key military and police officials.”

The CPP also described as reprehensible Duterte’s latest order to the police to wage the murderous drug war against the poor and rival drug syndicates and his order to the AFP to drop bombs and rockets against peasant communities and their schools and carry out a total “war against the people” under Oplan Kapayapaan.

“Duterte’s order to imprison Trillanes has further emboldened his rival politicians to oppose his tyranny and has further isolated himself from the Filipino people,” the statement said.

“He has strengthened the determination of broad democratic forces to oust Duterte and his allies in fascism, puppetry and corruption.”

On his arrival here on Saturday from the trip to Israel and Jordan, where he said he had acquired arms, the President said three groups had been plotting to oust him; and he identified those groups as the politburo (political bureau of the) CPP, Trillanes and the yellow Liberals. /atm