Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque clarified on Tuesday that Vice President Leni Robredo was not “specifically named” among those who are planning to destabilize the administration.
“Well, siguro po (maybe), as far as VP Leni is concerned, that’s a fair statement, because as far I know, she was not amongst those specifically named to be part of the conspiracy.” Roque said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
The palace official was reacting to Robredo’s statement denouncing claims that the Liberal Party (LP) is conniving with communist forces to oust the current administration. She said it was “laughable if they were not so dangerous.”
READ: Aquino, Robredo insist: LP conniving with ‘Reds’ is ‘a far-fetched idea’
Earlier, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) revealed “Red October,” a plot which is supposedly a coalition of communist rebels and members of the political opposition planning to overthrow President Rodrigo Duterte.
READ: Communists expanding alliances for ‘Red October’ ouster plot — AFP
Roque noted that since the vice president has taken “an oath to support the constitution” as the “second highest selected official” she “should not and is expected not to support any unconstitutional means to remove the president.”
“Pero ang ating AFP naman po, hindi ko po sila narinig na pinangalanan si VP Leni (I have not heard the AFP name VP Leni as among those who were involved in the ouster plot),” he said.
“Pero hindi niyo naman po matatanggal na iyong intelligence funds na ginagamit natin nga para sa ganitong paraan ay nagsasabi na meron talagang ilan sa mga Liberal Party na nagpaplano na makipagsabwatan para mapatalsik si Presidente Duterte (But intelligence shows that there were really members of the Liberal Party who were planning to collaborate with other groups to oust President Duterte),” he added.
Roque reiterated that any plans to oust the president will fail because the administration enjoys the
support of the Filipino people, which was proven in the results of the recent survey that most Filipinos are satisfied with Duterte’s drug war. /ee
READ: Power-hungry destabilizers won’t succeed in ousting Duterte — Palace