Año says plan to oust Duterte started in 2017

DILG OIC Eduardo Año INQUIRER.net file photo

The so-called “Red October” destabilization plot to overthrow the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte has been brewing since last year, Interior OIC-Secretary Eduardo Año disclosed Wednesday.

“Actually may mga captured documents last year pa. Itong ‘Red October’ sinimulan nila ‘yan last year pa,” Año told reporters in an interview at Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba, Laguna.

Año was referring to the reported plan to overthrow Duterte that was allegedly spearheaded by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

“Itong CPP-NPA they would choose and make alliances with other forces including political forces to oust the President,” he noted.

Asked why the supposed oust Duterte plot has only been floated now, Año said the government took its time to validate the veracity of the intelligence report.

“Tuluy-tuloy kasi ang pag-validate ng mga information na dumarating. So depende ‘yan, Iyong last year info na dumating ‘di mo naman ‘yan kaagad ilalabas kung wala pang indicators at validation,” he pointed out.

Earlier, Duterte said he had a copy of a “conversation provided by a foreign country sympathetic” to the Philippines between political opponents, the communists, and the Magdalo group conspiring to topple his administration.

READ: Duterte: Reds, Magdalo, political rivals plotting to oust me

The allegation was vehemently denied by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the political arm of the CPP; the opposition Liberal Party (LP); and the Magdalo group of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.  /kga