AFP blasts Joma’s coup remark: ‘This coward has gone insane’

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday slammed Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison for his remark that the United States could stage a coup d’état against President Rodrigo Duterte.

Sison said over the weekend that the US could stage a coup against Duterte after the President challenged the United States to declare war with China amid the South China Sea dispute.

“This coward has gone insane. He is already muttering words of an old man whose memory has abandoned him,” AFP public affairs chief Col. Noel Detoyato told reporters.

He challenged Sison, who has been living in exile in The Netherlands, to “come back to the Philippines and face reality.”

The communist leader said the US could “easily instruct” its supporters within the military and police forces to take Duterte into custody and have Vice President Leni Robredo installed as his successor.

Detoyato said Sison’s statements were “an indication of his state of mind” and the military would not take orders from the US.

“We are a sovereign country. We have our own democratic institutions,” he said.

“[President Duterte] is our duly elected President and commander in chief,” he added.

At the Philippine Air Force anniversary last week, Duterte had asked the military and police not to stage a coup during his term.

Both the military and police said there were no such plans. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)