Guevarra: It was AFP that linked Rizal farm raid to ‘Red October’

It was the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that linked the raid by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on a farm in Teresa, Rizal to the “Red October” plot, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

NBI agents seized a cache of high-powered guns during the raid.

“The NBI’s raid in Teresa was purely for a criminal purpose (of illegal possession of firearms and explosives); it was the AFP who linked it to ‘Red October,’” Guevarra said in a message sent to reporters.

READ: AFP links raid to ‘Red Oct,’ but NBI not on same page

The NBI which conducted the raid earlier said it has yet to find evidence that the confiscated guns were related to the ouster plot against President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) also denied that the raid was related to the “Red October” plot.

READ: PNP: Rizal farm raid not linked to ‘Red October’

However the AFP linked the raid to the ouster plot, saying that there were communist rebels hiding in the area.

The AFP earlier claimed that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is trying join forces with opposition groups to hatch a plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte.

In addition, the military had also claimed that the (CPP) has started organizing 18 universities and colleges in Metro Manila to join the ouster plot. The military’s claim was denied by officials of the 18 schools. /muf