MANILA, Philippines — “American coup on PPRD? You must be reading too much John Grisham and Tom Clancy books. Try Danielle Steel for a change,” Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said in a Viber message to reporters on Monday.
Sotto was reacting to exiled communist leader Jose Maria Sison’s warning that the United States could stage a coup against President Rodrigo Duterte. PRRD is Duterte’s initials.
Neophyte Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa also downplayed Sison’s warning as he expressed disbelief that there are people who still believe the “insignificant” communist leader.
“Bakit, nakikinig ba kayo kay Joma Sison? Naniniwala ba kayo doon? Insignificant naman ‘yun (Why are you still listening to Joma Sison? Do you believe him? He is insignificant),” Dela Rosa said in an interview at the Senate.
“Yung NPA (New People’s Army) nga dito sa Pilipinas, hindi na nga sumusunod sa kanya, hindi na niniwala sa kanya, pagpaniwalaan nyo pa siya (How could you believe in him when even the members of the NPA here do not follow him or believe in him),” he said.
Sison’s reported remark came after Duterte’s challenge to the US to declare war against China over the latter’s continued militarization in the disputed West Philippine Sea.
“Let America declare the war. Let them assemble all their armaments there in the South China Sea,” Duterte said Friday.
“Fire the first shot, and I’d be glad to do the next. May RP-US pact man kaha tayo (We have a US-RP pact), then let us honor it. Do you want trouble? Okay, let’s do it,” added the President. (Editor: Eden Estopace)
READ: Duterte dares US: Declare war on China and we will join you