Liberal Party (LP) members Vice President Leni Robredo and former President Benigno Aquino III have shut down claims that they are partnering with communist forces to topple the current administration.
According to Aquino, it seems unlikely that the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) will be capable of overthrowing President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration after it has significantly weakened during his term.
“No’ng panahon ko naman, no’ng nag-uumpisa tayo nilulusob iyong mga detachment, mga presinto. Sa dulo, ang kaya na lang atakihin ng NPA, ay iyong namamalengke, isa o dalawa,” he told reporters after an LP meeting in Quezon City.
(During my time, they were raiding military detachments and police precincts. At the end, they can only attack one or two.)
“So mula doon sa sitwasyon na ‘yon, after two years medyo napapag-isip ako […] sa termino natin, humina na ng humina. Ngayon, mula sa kahinaan na iyon, kaya na nilang mag-oust? Ang galing naman nilang mag-recover,” he asked.
(From that situation, I started thinking after two years, during my term, they have weakened considerably. From that position, can they oust a government? They must be really good at recovery)
Aquino also said that he cannot imagine teaming-up with communists who have hurt his constituents in Tarlac, and even some of his relatives.
“Ako ba sasama sa mga nagpahirap sa kababayan ko no’ng ginulo ‘yong (Hacienda) Luisita noong 2004? Hindi lang ginulo iyong nasa loob eh, ang ginulo iyong buong ekonomiya ng Tarlac,” he claimed.
(Do you think I will collaborate with those who have caused trouble in Luisita in 2004? They didn’t only cause trouble, they also messed up the economy of Tarlac)
In several previous occasions, Duterte reiterated that ‘Reds’ or communist forces, ‘yellows’ or the LP, and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s Magdalo group have been conniving to unseat him.
Earlier, the President also said that he feels bad that some soldiers are now working with the political parties to remove him.
READ: Duterte says some soldiers conniving with Liberal Party, Reds to oust him
READ: Duterte ‘sure’ Yellows, Reds, Magdalo plotting to overthrow him
Robredo, for his part, dismissed the allegations that she is involved in any plot, warning that such ‘intelligence reports’ may be dangerous for critics who may easily be tagged as destabilizers.
“Recent allegations by key leaders of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) regarding a supposed plot to oust the President would be laughable if they were not so dangerous,” Robredo said in a statement.
“For while the claims themselves are absolutely ridiculous, the attempt to delegitimize various opposition groups and personalities by linking them to an alleged extra-constitutional “plot” is alarming,” she added.
According to Robredo, the public must remember that branding government critics as criminals was the style of former President Ferdinand Marcos during the martial law.
“We must recall that branding critics as criminals was the same draconian tactic employed by the Martial Law Regime to strip the opposition of its voice. And that this silencing of the opposition was a prelude to establishing a regime of corruption, abuse, and dictatorship,” she added. /ee