Duterte unfazed by alleged ouster plot

SAYING he has the people’s mandate, President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said he was not afraid of an allegedly brewing destabilization plot that is allegedly orchestrated by his political enemies.

Duterte made the statement days

after he revealed that his critics were moving to oust him, which he said would “go into a high gear” in October.

In a media interview, the President said he was “sure” that there is a “collaborative effort” by “some” from the Left, the Magdalo group and “Yellows” or the opposition Liberal Party (LP) to destabilize his administration.

“I said maybe September 21st something… only plan. But what I’m sure of is that there’s a collaborative efforts of the Left, the Magdalo and the Yellows. Some, but not all,” Duterte told reporters.

“Sabikowalanamanakongproblema diyan (I said I have no problem with that). I’m… I was elected by the people. I’m not squatter there. So eventually the military and the police will have to face the crisis, the dilemma. Now, what happens next is anybody’s guess. Your guess is as good as mine,” he said.

Last week, Duterte advised the public to watch out for the three forces, opposition Sen. Antonio Trillanes 4th, the LP and the Left that are trying to oust him.

Duterte’s statements came after his spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the opposition forces were cooking up a “massive destabilization” plot in time for the 46th anniversary of martial law under then-President Ferdinand Marcos on September 21.

The LP has rejected Duterte’s claim that it the help of the communists and Trillanes.

“The accusation of destabilization is downright false. It is ridiculous. Dissent is not destabilization,” Sen. Francis Pangilinan, president of the LP, said in a statement.

Trillanes said Duterte’s claim of a plot to paranoia.

Duterte disclosed the supposed destabi- lization plot against him after he issued a proclamation voiding the amnesty that had been granted to Trillanes.

This week, he dared the military to join Trillanes and oust him.

Malacañang explained that this was the no one will join the cause of the embattled senator.

“This means that the President is confident that there will be no support from the military to oust him from power. So his seeming incitement is actually an expression of confidence that no one will follow Trillanes and his comrades,” Roque said.

“I think, the President, by saying so, his administration and that no one will join the communists and those that want him to be ousted,” he added.

- dence that the Philippine military will not have any weaknesses, amid Trillanes’ claim - port him.

The reaction came a day after The Manila Times published an advertisement paid for by the Eagle Fraternal Chapter of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association Inc. (PMAAAI) calling for the expulsion of Trillanes from the alumni group.

In a message to reporters, Roque responded “yes” when asked if there will not be any “chink in the chain” of the military command.

Roque said the PMAAAI advertisement is the stance of the whole military.

- ment of the military,” he added.

Trillanes is a member of PMA Marilag Class of 1995.

Dozens of members of the PMAAAI Eagle Fraternal Chapter signed the statement.