Communist rebels in the Philippines are allegedly reinforcing their networks to overthrow President Rodrigo Duterte in a plot called “Red October,” the military said.
“May mga alliances silang bini-build lalo na yung legal oppositions para magkaroon sila ng kakampi (They are building alliances, especially legal oppositions so they can recuit collaborators),” Maj. Gen. Isidro Purisima, deputy chief of staff for operations said Monday.
The “Red October” plot is supposedly a coalition of communist rebels and members of the political opposition to remove Duterte from office.
The plan will allegedly culminate in October, which the military says coincides with the international celebrations for Marxism, indigenous peoples, and communism.
The military claims that the communist rebels are discrediting the government by destroying the Philippines’ image in the international community.
“Gusto nilang sirain ang ating imahe sa international community by infiltrating yung mga sectors natin even yung EU, Western countries. Sisirain tayo sa ibang bansa para ma-prevent yung investors (They want to destroy our image in the international community by infiltrating different sectors and even the EU and other Western countries. They will destroy our image to prevent investors from coming to our country),” Purisima said.
The plot was first disclosed by Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Carlito Galvez and deputy chief of staff for internal security operations Brig. Gen. Antonio Parlade over the weekend.
Movement Against Tyranny, one of the groups tagged by the military officials as involved in the ouster plot, called the allegations “outlandish claims.”
“The stepped up red-baiting by the AFP is a clear sign of the Duterte regime’s full engagement in facilitating the return of dictatorship and cementing the comeback of Marcos family,” it said. /ee
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