Ouster plot vs Duterte real, Palace tells Church
MANILA -- Malacañang on Wednesday, July 4, insisted that some Catholic Church leaders are conniving with the communist rebels in plotting to oust President Rodrigo Duterte.
"Hindi po fake news iyan. Napakatanda na po ng CPP-NPA, it's the world longest insurgency," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said in a radio interview, when asked about his claim on the supposed connivance between the communists and some Church leaders to oust the President.
(That's not fake news. The CPP-NPA has been there for a long time, it's the world's longest insurgency.)
Roque said the Church should not turn a blind eye to the truth that some of its officials are conniving with the Communist Party of the Philippines' (CPP) armed component, the New People's Army (NPA), to unseat Duterte.
"Iyan po ay isang panawagan, isang babala. Matuto naman po tayo sa kasaysayan. Huwag magbulag bulagan at huwag [tayong] mag-kunwaring hindi alam paano gumalaw ang CPP-NPA. Papasukin at papasukin po ang mga iba't ibang institusyon at kinakailangan bantayan ang ating mga hanay," he added.
(It's a call, a warning. Let's learn from the history. Let's not pretend to be blind and let's not pretend that we do not know how the CPP-NPA acts.They will penetrate different institutions and so we need to guard our insistutions.)
On Tuesday, July 4, Roque claimed that some Church leaders are joining forces with the communist
rebels to remove Duterte from office.
Responding to Roque's allegation, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillio challenged the Palace official to identify the church officials who are allegedly in connivance with the commmunists.
Pabillo also said that Roque was merely propagating "false news," if he fails to name the alleged church leaders who seek Duterte's ouster.
"He should name names. [Otherwise], he is just spreading rumors. That is not responsible reporting. This is one way of spreading false news," the bishop said.
Roque refused anew to name the church officials, but stood by his claim.
"Pinaninindigan ko na iyan po ay kasaysayan [ng CPP-NPA] na at huwag po tayong mag-bulag-bulagan sa mga pangyayari," he said.
(I will stand by my statement that's the history [of the CPPNPA] and let's not pretend to be blind to what's happening.)
"Ilan po sa kanila ay pipwedeng makipagsabwatan diyan sa CPP-NPA sa kanilang sinasabi na ninanais na patalsikin, pabagsakin ang administrasyon ni Presidente Duterte," Roque added.
(Some of them may be conniving with the CPP-NPA in their desire to oust, topple the administration of President Duterte.)