PNP: No strong proof of plot to oust Duterte

Even the Philippine National Police has said that their probe into the Malacañang-released conspiracy matrices to oust President Duterte has not yet yielded proof.

“We are pursuing our investigation in case we see proof of an ouster plot … [but] as of now, we don’t see any strong evidence,” PNP spokesperson Col. Bernard Banac said at a press conference in Camp Crame on Friday.

No validated threat

Banac said the police are still in the process of validating the first matrix, composed largely of media personalities and lawyers, but that they are already probing the new personalities in the second matrix, which includes Olympian weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and volleyball celebrity Gretchen Ho.

“There is already an investigation. It is the mandate of the PNP to verify information … but right now, there is still no strong evidence. There is no validated threat of an attempt on the President [by these new personalities],” Banac said.

“Based on our record checks, we don’t see any evidence that could determine that Hidilyn Diaz and Gretchen Ho are part of the attempt to oust the President. We don’t see that so far,” Banac said.

Gabriela Women’s Party on Friday pressed Malacañang to issue an apology for the “reckless and ridiculous” allegation implicating Diaz and Ho and journalist Inday Espina-Varona in a supposed destabilization plot against the Duterte administration.

“We urge Malacañang to withdraw the publicized diagram and apologize to Gretchen, Hidilyn and others who were wrongfully implicated in its fictional ouster plot,” Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas said in a statement.

The women’s party list group came to the defense of the women named in the matrix, days after Malacañang named them as supposed coconspirators along with the Liberal Party, a lawyers’ group and a number of media outfits in a purported plot to discredit and oust Duterte from office.

“We deeply sympathize with their shock and frustration. This only affirms what we have been saying: strong women make weak regimes tremble,” Brosas said.

Media blamed

“Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo and President Duterte should be held liable for any harm that will be inflicted on those named in the matrix,” Brosas said.

But Panelo pinned the blame on the media for its “wrong analysis” of the diagrams, which made it appear that the two women were part of the ouster plot against Duterte.

In a statement, Panelo said, “it is unfortunate that some media outfits have put a spin [on the matrix] by instantly assuming and zeroing in on the supposed inclusion or participation of certain personalities.”

Jayme account real

Asked why the two were included in his slides,  Panelo said the diagram only showed website administrator Rodel Jayme’s social media account and the accounts he was following online.

Asked why the diagram only showed a handful of personalities that Jayme was following, Panelo said in a text message: “Could be that only the few personalities indicated in the diagram where Jayme’s account was active in relation to them.”

He added in a statement: “The subject slide … simply proves that the account of Jayme is real as it reveals his disposition online.”

Panelo explained that he was unable to immediately explain the dynamics of Ho and Diaz’s supposed inclusion, since he was “rushing” when he presented the diagrams on Wednesday.

Asked who are involved in the ouster plot based on the matrices, he replied: “Those who were included in the diagrams. The major players, you can see it there.”

He added: “But what we’re sure is the Liberal Party and the Magdalo are involved. That is what I got from the President himself.”