Duterte says CIA in plot to assassinate him

President Duterte bared Tuesday that the United States could be eavesdropping on his phone conversations amid an alleged plot to kill him.

Aware that his communication line was being tapped, the President said he has been advised by the military to use an older mobile phone, instead of a modern smartphone to avoid interception.

“You know, my cellphone is tapped and everybody’s listening,” the Presi- dent said before an assembly of mayors from Visayas in Cebu City last Tuesday night.

“Ang nakikinig sa akin is United States, sigurado ‘yan ang CIA. ‘Yan ang papatay sa akin ‘yang mga ulol na ‘yan [The United States is listening. I’m sure it’s the CIA. They will kill me, those fools],” he added.

Apart from the United States, the President identified other countries that could also be secretly listening to his phone calls.

“America, Russia, China, Israel maybe, and maybe Indonesia. Nakatutok ‘yan siya lahat sa mga leaders [They are focused on all leaders],” he said.

Duterte admitted that he was aware of clandestine wiretapping of communication lines since he knows how intelligence authorities work. “I know kasi napunta ako diyan sa loob. I am the one funding the equipments there, Intelligence. Alam ko nakikinig ‘yan sila [I know they are listening],” he said.

But the country’s top policeman said that he had no knowledge, “at least so far,” of an alleged assassination plot being hatched by the CIA against Duterte.

The 73-year-old Duterte said he has avoided using new smartphones upon the advice of his security aides.

“‘Yun na nga ang sabi ng mga sundalo sa akin noon, “Sir, huwag ka maggamit niyan. Ito nalang pindot-pindot kasi ito mahirap i-intercept.” Lalo na ‘yang pinaka old model [That’s what the solders told me. “Sir, don’t use that. Use this old phone instead because it’s hard to intercept, especially the oldest model’],” he said.

Duterte also explained he was reluctant to use new smartphones since he was not tech-savvy. He admitted that he has difficulty learning how to operate a smartphone and now allows his close aides to manage his calls.

PNP chief, Director General Oscar Albayalde, however, said extreme preparations should always be observed and implemented by the close-in security of Duterte despite the lack of intelligence information on the alleged CIA plot.

“With regards to, probably specific [threat], ‘yung CIA, we really don’t have information as far as the PNP is concerned,” said Albayalde in an interview on CNN’s “The Source.” (With a report from Martin Sadongdong)