Binay: Linking Jollibee, McDonald’s to Duterte ouster move ‘cause for alarm’

MANILA, Philippines —Linking Jollibee, McDonald’s and other mutants to an alleged destabilization plot against President Rodrigo Duterte is not only a “cause for alarm” but also reflects “the sorry state” of government’s intelligence.

Senator Nancy Binay said this on Tuesday as she pushed for additional budget of government’s spy agencies to reduce their “handicap” on intelligence gathering.

This came after presidential son, former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte, reportedly posted on Facebook a list of people and companies allegedly involved in the destabilization plot against the President.

READ: Palace distances from Paolo Duterte’s ouster movement list

“Naaawa ako doon sa agency na nagbigay ng intel report kay vice mayor. Sa tingin ko, kailangan silang tulungan para mai-improve naman ang kanilang level of intel capabilities,” Binay said in a statement.

“Kapag kasama na si Jollibee, McDonald’s at mutants sa destabilization plot, it’s a cause for alarm. It means our country is already in grave danger,” she said.

Intelligence and security failures, she said,  are “unacceptable” when government agencies and executive offices are given multi-billion peso budget for intelligence.

“Clearly, meron misinformation and disinformation. Sa ibang bansa, accountability is a serious matter. Kung kaya, gusto namin malaman kung anong agency ang nag-release ng intel para matingnan namin kung kailangan dagdagan ang kanilang budget to improve their infrastructure and logistics,” the senator said.

“Pero kung malaki na ang budget nila and their ineptness is obvious, perhaps we need to cut down their budget at ilagay na lang ang pondo sa mas may pakinabang ang taumbayan,” she noted.

Binay said the supposed destabilization list which was personally released by the presidential son reflects the sorry state of state intelligence.

“The information was not accurate nor validated. It’s painfully evident that basic intel is lacking at present,” she said.

“The supposed list in connection with the alleged destabilization plot against the President reflects the sorry state of state intelligence, and the handicap of our intelligence and counterintelligence structures.”

“The awkward question: Ano ba talaga, kuya? Diliman ba o dilawan? Kasama ba nga ba si Jollibee, Ronald, Hetti at Padawan?” Binay further asked.  /muf