Antonio Trillanes IV
MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV should not tag active police and military officials in alleged destabilization plot especially if he does not have any evidence, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun said on Tuesday.
Khonghun in a press briefing at the Batasang Pambansa complex also said that it is unfair for generals to be dragged in such discussions, noting that Trillanes has been known to be a “gossiper.”
Trillanes, a former military personnel, said in a separate briefing earlier that active senior Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel and retired Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officials were found to have been recruiting officers since 2023, supposedly in a bid to oust President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“We know that they have been calling former Senator Trillanes as a ‘pambansang marites’ (national gossiper), so it is so unfair for the generals that he is saying, that personnel from our military, the PNP, are being accused again of taking part in destabilization, so I hope he does not drag them into this,” Khonghun said.
“The AFP and the PNP are important branches of our government, they implement our laws, I hope they are not dragged into gossip talks especially if there is no evidence presented,” he added.
PBA party-list Rep. Margarita Nograles, meanwhile, said that while the public should not rely on speculations, those who really want to have Marcos removed must follow legal processes, like impeachment.
“Again let us not rely on speculations, if that’s how people want to happen, we have a process to remove a president, so it can’t just be a one-word thing […] So if they will follow the impeachment process then they’re welcome to, I guess, file it if they have enough grounds, and observe the process,” Nograles said.
“Let’s not make this into something like a trial by the public. Again, we do not want the destabilization of this government, what we want is to be unified, we want everything to be peaceful,” she added.
Earlier, Trillanes claimed that some active senior members of PNP have been trying to recruit members to take part in supposed plans to unseat Marcos. According to the former senator, former police officials — mostly from Davao — and a former PNP chief are also part of the destabilization plot.
“Davao group… and a retired PNP chief,” Trillanes said when asked if the police who are part of the so-called Davao group are also part of the ouster plot.
“Pero wala pa silang nare-recruit,” Trillanes said.
(But they have not recruited anybody.)
READ: Trillanes: Active senior PNP officials recruiting for Marcos ouster
Trillanes said there may be a sense of urgency within the side of former president Rodrigo Duterte as the International Criminal Court (ICC) may issue a warrant against those involved in the drug war. However, the PNP leadership has appealed to Trillanes to spare the organization from such issues.
READ: Trillanes told to spare PNP from rumors of ouster plot vs Marcos
Duterte, who implemented the war against illegal drugs when he was in office from 2016 to 2022, is facing complaints for allegedly committing the crime against humanity of mass murder.
Last April 24, Trillanes claimed that the ICC has contacted 50 past and present PNP officials to discuss the complaints against Duterte.
READ: Trillanes: ICC contacted 50 past, present PNP officials on Duterte case
INQUIRER.net has asked former senator Trillanes for his comments on Khonghun and Nograles’ remarks, but he has not yet issued a response.