Plan to oust Aquino over Mamasapano carnage bared
Video by Cathy Miranda/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Various groups have allegedly started organizing themselves to take advantage of the people’s sentiments on the Mamasapano incident to raise a ”social upheaval” and eventual ouster of President Benigno Aquino III, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV disclosed on Thursday.
Trillanes, citing information that he has been getting, identified these groups as “elements” from the Catholic Church, communist groups, and some “political forces.”
He said he already passed on this information to the intelligence community.
“May nag organisa, nag mi-meeting sila. ‘Yung sequence of events nila ginagawa nila. You can feel it moving, pati sa media may nag operate na,” he said during a weekly forum in the Senate.
(There were those who organized it, they are already meeting. They are already arranging the sequence of events. You can feel it moving, there are people already operating it even in the media.)
While the public’s sentiments over the death of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) men in Mamasapano, Maguindano were “valid,” the senator said, the groups taking advantage of the situation were hoping that would lead to a “social upheaval.”
“For now, ganun ‘yung hope nila. Nagbi-build up sila, nagmi-meeting sila, may series of activities sila. In the coming days, may makikita na kayong mga placards…These are connected to the communist insurgents na sila rin naman nag ambushed din ng very same people — ‘yung SAF (Special Action Force), or mga sundalo pero ngayon kunyari nagsisimpatya sila,” he pointed out.
(For now, that is what they are hoping for. They are building up their forces, holding meetings, having a series of activities. In the coming days, you will begin seeing placards…These are connected to the communist insurgents who were also behind the ambush of the very same people—the SAF, the soldiers, but they are now pretending to sympathize (with the victims).)
But Trillanes, a member of the majority bloc in the Senate, did not see any reason why Aquino should be ousted over Mamasapano incident.
He said Aquino may have “character flaws” or “lapses” but these are not enough reasons to remove him from office.
“May mga shortcomings, mga character flaws, may mga lapses, pero his heart is in the right place I believe so and hindi s’ya magnanakaw. So bakit ko nga s’ya ulit tatanggalin? That’s the question d’un sa mga gustong sumama sa ganyang pagkilos,” said the senator.
(He has his shortcomings, character flaws, and lapses, but his heart is in the right place, I believe, and he’s not a thief. So why will I remove him from office? That’s the question that should be asked to those who plan to join the movement to oust him.)
He also reminded that if Aquino were ousted from office, he would be replaced by Vice President Jejomar Binay, who has been accused of amassing unexplained wealth while he was the mayor of Makati City.
“Para tayong naghanap ng batong ipopokpok sa ulo natin (It’s like we’re looking for a rock to hit our heads with.). We don’t want that. Personally, I don’t, so you can count me out sa mga yan…” said Trillanes, who was actively participating in the Senate investigation on the allegedly anomalous deals involving the past and incumbent officials of the Makati City government.
Originally posted at 12:48 pm | Thursday, February 5, 2015
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