Trillanes tags ex-defense secretary in coup plans

By: Maila Ager - 10 years ago

A Thai soldier mans his machine gun atop a military vehicle outside the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) after soldiers were sent in to seized the center Tuesday, May 20, 2014 in Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand's army declared martial law in a surprise announcement in Bangkok before dawn on Tuesday, intensifying the turbulent nation's deepening political crisis. The military, however, denied a coup d'etat was underway. AP

Talks of a coup against the Aquino administration is going around after the brutal killing of 44 Special Action Force members in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, which some are blaming on President Aquino. AP

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Antonio Trillanes IV named former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales as one of those allegedly planning a coup d’etat against the Aquino administration.

“Yes, yes,” Trillanes repeatedly said when asked during an interview in the Senate on Monday if Gonzales was part of those planning to overthrow the Aquino government.

“Ang papel ni Norberto Gonzales? Manggulo sa Pilipinas,” he said, “That guy is a socio-path so meron syang nasa utak, then he will pursue that.”

But the senator quickly doused fears that the former defense secretary had enough influence in the military to convince them to support any coup plot against the present administration.

“Wala. (None) But he’s trying to project that he has one. Briefly nag-defense secretary yan pero wala namang nakikinig,” said Trillanes. (He briefly became defense secretary but no one listens to him.)

But while there was nothing to be alarmed for now, the senator said: “We can’t be complacent because having experienced this, makakuha ka lang ng isang sundalong disgruntled na may valid grievances (you need to have only one disgruntled soldier who has valid grievances), this can become a very bad situation for this administration.”

It was Trillanes, who first disclosed about some sectors, who have allegedly started organizing against the administration following the botched Mamasapano operation last January 25 where 44 elite policemen were killed.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago also raised the issue of coup rumors which was confirmed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin during the last week’s hearing of the Senate on the Mamasapano incident.

Trillanes said the plot was not really a conventional coup “but they are hoping to recruit active members of the armed forces and the PNP (Philippine National Police).”

As of posting, Inquirer.net was still trying to reach Gonzales for comment.