Malacañang said Monday it was not discounting the possibility that some members of the Catholic Church may be conniving with the Communist Party of the Philippines to oust President Rodrigo Duterte, although that was something that would never happen.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said while the Catholic Church is not part of any destabilization plot, some of the Church’s leaders might be conspiring with the leftist group to remove the President.
“We are fully aware of the Church’s language,” Roque told reporters.
“It all started after their favored candidates lost in the elections. They could not accept that their candidates did not make it.”
Roque said the Church should stop dreaming about ousting Duterte.
He also urged CPP founder Jose Maria Sison to wake up and stop dreaming about his plan to oust Duterte, adding Sison had been messing up the peace talks.
He said the government should not be faulted for the delay in the resumption of the peace talks with the rebels since it was Sison who had refused to come home and talk despite an assurance from the President of his safety.
He said Sison was the one who backed out and called him arrogant.
“Sison should stop dreaming about the possible ouster of President Duterte,” Roque said.
The resumption of the peace talks between the government and the communist rebels was put on hold after Sison said the NDF, the political arm of the CPP, could “no longer negotiate with a government headed by Duterte.”
Sison said it was “relatively easier and more productive” for the communists to join the ouster moves against Duterte.
But Roque told Sison to stop dreaming because he could not overthrow a government while he was in Europe.
“You’ve been there for a long time. Come home so you’ll see that the situation is now different,” Roque said.
“Your dream will never be a reality. The country’s economy is now growing. Although there is still poverty, many people have overcome it. You’ve been in another country for so long that you don’t know the country’s condition.”