The Palace said Thursday it was taking seriously the threats to the life of President Rodrigo Duterte following the remarks of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana that Duterte’s fears of an alleged US Central Intelligence Agency assassination plot against him might just be based on books.
“As we all know, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has made a lot of powerful enemies with his political will and decisive leadership in fighting drugs, criminality and corruption,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.
“Although there is no direct threat to his life, as Secretary Lorenzana mentioned, the defense and security sectors, including the Presidential Security Group take all threats to the life of the President seriously.”
During a budget deliberation for his department at the House of Representatives, Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate asked Lorenzana if the Defense department had knowledge of the alleged assassination plot of the CIA on Duterte.
“We are in direct contact with the embassy here and they have an assurance that there is no such thing. According to them, it’s not part of activities anymore,” Lorenzana said.
“I think it’s because the President loves to read books. He reads a lot of books. In fact, whenever he has a book that is new and good, he gives us copies of the book. Maybe he has read it.
“So maybe he’s just basing his fears on those past activities of the CIA.”
Duterte has previously claimed that the CIA plans to assassinate him as he believes the security agency could be listening to his phone conversations.
“I know the US is listening. I’m sure it’s the CIA. That [agency] will kill me,” Duterte said in a speech last week.
He claimed that the CIA was also eavesdropping on the leaders of influential countries such as Russia, China, Israel, Indonesia and even America.
But Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde says there is no information about the CIA’s threat to Duterte.