MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday defended the authenticity of the “Oust-Duterte” diagrams released last week by Malacañang that supposedly detailed a plot to oust him from office.
The President said the diagram was supported by spectral voice analysis and recorded conversations of the people involved in the alleged plot.
“The matrix is true, the matrix is true, even Bikoy. You see, even the spectral analysis of their voice is true. Tordesillas is true, she is every inch a prostitute,” the President said, referring to journalist Ellen Tordesillas, whose picture appeared in the diagram.
The President made the remarks shortly after he cast his vote in Davao City.
Last week, he ordered presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo to release a new set of matrices implicating the Liberal Party, the Magdalo group of former military rebels, several lawyers and journalists in a plot to oust him from office.
After it was criticized for including Olympic weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz and TV host Gretchen Ho in the diagram, the Palace clarified that the two were not involved in the plot.
Instead, Panelo pinned the blame on the media for its “wrong, faulty analysis” of the diagram, which he said only showed the social media connections of Rodel Jayme.
Public interpretation
Jayme owned the Metrobalita website that uploaded the “Bikoy” videos, which accused members of the President’s family and their associates of involvement in the illegal drug trade.
On Monday afternoon, the President said it was up to the public to “interpret the matrix” but said “the lines were not really lines or connections.”
“Yes, that matrix, it’s up to you to interpret it. But those lines really — not lines, connections. There were a lot of communications there that were recorded,” he said.
Asked if there was wiretapping involved, he replied: “Yes, wiretapping is against the law. Who did the wiretap? I really do not know. It’s already a finished product. Only if you use it in court, it cannot be accepted as evidence.”
Meanwhile, the President said he would leave it to Panelo to respond to questions regarding the matrices.
“There are matters which I would like to leave to Attorney Panelo to answer. Especially now with fake and genuine news. If I think I will be placed in an awkward position or I will be misquoted or the media twists what I say, I would rather refer you to Attorney Panelo who is the press secretary,” he said.
The President said these matters included issues “that can be characterized as equivocal” or “can be the subject of to interpretations.”
“I’ll leave it to Panelo, so if he is misquoted, then he’s the talkative one. I get tired of answering questions which are stupid,” he added.