LP’s non-inclusion in new ouster plot surprises Pangilinan
Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO / CATHY MIRANDA
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis Pangilinan questioned on Tuesday the veracity of the latest alleged ouster plot against President Rodrigo Duterte after the opposition Liberal Party (LP) was not tagged as one of the usual suspects.
Pangilinan, president of LP, was among those tagged in last year’s alleged ouster plot dubbed as “Red October” led by communist rebels.
READ: ‘Red October,’ according to AFP
On Monday, Palace confirmed the new reported plot to overthrow Duterte, this time allegedly involving certain media groups— Rappler, Vera Files and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), and the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers.
Asked over ABS-CBN News Channel on Tuesday about this new oust Duterte move, Pangilinan reminded the President’s own admission that three out of his five statements were not true.
Article continues after this advertisement“Palagay ko isa na ito dun e,” the senator said.
Article continues after this advertisement“Mukhang gawa-gawa lang e because ako nasorpresa bakit di kami sinama, yung LP, dahil lagi naman kaming sinasama,” he pointed out.
Pangilinan then pointed out how the LP was linked in the “Red October” plot, which he said was meant to divert the public’s attention from the rice crisis then.
READ: Pangilinan mocks ‘Red October’ ouster plot
But in a budget hearing in the Senate last October, then Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Carlito Galvez cleared Pangilinan and other opposition members from the ouster plot.
“Today, I read sa newspapers, the AFP is saying here’s no specific threat of an ouster of the President. So again you have the armed forces saying one thing and intelligence reports saying another,” Pangilinan said in the television interview.
“Mukhang merong mga nasa loob o nakapaligid sa Malacañang na mga gumagawa nito na consistent sa napakaraming pagkakataon in the past na paulit ulit. Pagka mayroong issue laban sa administratyon, binabalik nila na may ouster plot.”
The senator then believed that this new allegation of an ouster plot was another diversionary tactic by the administration meant to sow fear to its critics. /jpv
