Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday pointed an accusing finger at both retired and high-ranking officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as those behind the alleged ouster plot against Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
These same officials were also said to be actively recruiting members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Trillanes said, “Some active and retired PNP officials have been identified as behind the destabilization efforts. Based on our information, the said officials have already been identified, making it hard for them to move.”
However, Trillanes reiterated, no one from the AFP had joined the ranks of destabilizers.
Trillanes refused to directly name his sources for the ouster plot, revealing only that he has friends in the Army. Asked whether his sources are in active duty or in the right position to gather and hold such information, the former senator said. “Yes”.
However, the PNP spokesperson, Police Colonel Jean Fajardo, denied that any member of the police force is actively participating in the ouster plot.
According to Fajardo, “We have not monitored any active police officer that is involved in the alleged destabilization
plot. And we have not monitored any destabilization plot for that matter.”
Fajardo also assured the public that the police force is currently focused on its mandate, something that goes without saying.
Pressed to point out who was masterminding the plot, Trillanes quipped: “Duterte camp.”
“It goes without saying. They would not move without Duterte’s imprimatur. And we can see it in his public pronouncements. These are statements meant to agitate, to incite sedition and rebellion,” he said.
On this note, Duterte’s presidential spokesperson, Atty. Harry Roque said the remarks of Trillanes stemmed from “hallucinations and hangover from his coup d’etat days.”
Former Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Tuesday called the ouster plot “absolute nonsense”.
In a statement, Panelo said Trillanes’ recent remarks were for the latter’s publicity and cited his previous misdeeds as a member of the military and Senate.
“The renegade only wants publicity for himself because he has become totally politically irrelevant,” Panelo said.
“He is discredited. His past misdeeds as a military man and public official speak for themselves,” he added.