MANILA, Philippines –Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV said President Benigno Aquino III may now ignore the reported destabilization plot against him because the plan has not “progressed into something serious.”
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. Photo by Ryan Leagogo/INQUIRER.net
It was Trillanes who reportedly said that retired generals identified with former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have been plotting against Aquino.
But the senator denied saying that the disgruntled retired generals were identified with Arroyo.
“Liliwanagin ko yang information na yan, ang nasagap po natin na information ay merong mga retiradong opisyal ng Armed forces na naghihikayat sa mga active members ng Armed Forces pero fortunately, hindi po ito kinagat ng mga active members so hindi sya nag pro-progress into something serious,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
(I will clarify that information, the information that we received was that there were retired officials of the Armed Forces, who have been recruiting active members but fortunately, the active members declined it so the plot has not progressed into something serious.)
These retired generals, he said, were exploiting various issues like the Disbursement Acceleration Program and the impeachment moves against the President to convince the military but they had not succeeded.
The recruitment, he said, has started since the first or second year of the Aquino administration and the recruiters were just reviving it depending on the current political environment.
But Trillanes said the President has nothing to worry about now.
“Walang dapat ikabahala (dahil) yun nga, hindi sya nagpo-progress into anything serious precisely because hindi ito pinapansin, hindi sila kinakagat,” he said.
(He has nothing to worry because as I’ve said, it has not progressed into anything serious precisely because no one’s paying attention to it, no one’s biting it.)
“Wala lang, tuloy lang ang trabaho. He can ignore this,” Trillanes added.
(It’s nothing, he should continue his work. He can ignore this.)
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