MANILA, Philippines—Former Tarlac Representative Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr.’s call for a change in leadership would not be “very effective” but was “morally damaging” to his nephew President Benigno Aquino III, an allied senator said on Thursday.
While recognizing that Cojuangco’s involvement in the reported moves against Aquino was alarming, Senator Serge Osmeña III branded the proposed establishment of a National Transition Council a “wishful thinking.”
“Well, from moral point of view yes,” Osmeña told reporters when asked if the former congressman’s support for a change in leadership was alarming.
“If a member of your family is the one that asked for you to step down syempre medyo masakit personally. But since Congressman Peping does not head a big group, whether it’s party or a movement, it will not be very effective but its morally damaging to the President,” he said.
Osmeña remains confident that the President will be able to complete his term by 2016.
“Yes, I think that he has a constitutional vow to finish his term of office and the people will not take extra-legal measures to remove him from office and they will not tolerate anything outside the law,” he said.
“How will you oust PNoy (Aquino’s nickname)? You can only do that either through a coup d’état or through impeachment so let them file an impeachment,” the senator added.
Osmeña expressed doubts that there are a number of people who are willing to join a coup against the Aquino administration despite growing frustration over the death of 44 elite policemen in the Mamasapano operation last January 25.
“There’s absolutely no basis for them to join in a coup d’état again,” he further said.
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