PNP unsure of 'Red October' oust Duterte plot

The Philippine National Police (PNP) could not say whether the Red October oust Duterte plot really seeks to remove President Rodrigo Duterte from office as claimed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“Persistent ang intelligence information that there are alleged...these are raw information itong mga nakukuha natin na nag-gu-grupo, alliance 'yung kung anong grupo para nga sirain, not necessarily patalsikin 'yung present administration pero 'yung siraan 'yung present administration,” Albayalde said in a press conference on Monday.

“But nakita naman natin na halos wala naman talagang, ayaw naman natin maliitin 'yung kanilang effort. Pero nakita naman nila kung gaano kaganda magpalakad itong present administration at nakikinabang hanggang pinakamababang kababayan natin. So there is no reason for us to oust the present administration,” Albayalde added.

In a separate statement, Bayan Muna dismissed the military's claims of the Red October plot as a lie and said it was just a prelude to a military-sanctioned bid to subject groups critical of the Duterte administration to police and military surveillance and action.

“The 'Red October' ouster plot is a military concoction and a big fat lie. There is no such conspiracy to oust Duterte. What we saw during the September 21 Luneta rally was the coming together of a wide array of political forces and individuals against Duterte’s plan to impose martial law and a fascist dictatorship,” Bayan said.

“The generals’ mention of known leftist personalities like Philippine Peace Center Executive Director Rey Casambre, former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and even NDFP Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison is a pathetic attempt at redbaiting and maliciously puts the said personalities in danger,” Bayan added.

The group also protested the military's proposal to create an inter-agency body to supposedly address the communist insurgency and likened it to martial law declaration in disguise.

“The Armed Forces seeks to dovetail all government functions and agencies to a militarist approach to quell armed dissent and in the process undermine or do away with civilian supremacy. Worse, the campaign’s target will be groups engaged in the legal democratic struggle, especially student organizations and labor groups, who are historically the strongest opposition to martial law and dictatorship,” Bayan said.

“Duterte regime's latest attempt to vilify those who criticize and oppose Duterte's increasingly tyrannical rule, sow intrigues to undermine broad unity against his regime and concoct a fake Red October plot to justify creeping martial law are ominous but bound to fail,” Bayan added.

Ahead of the September 21 protests which condemned the declaration of Martial Law of former President Ferdinand Marcos in 1972, PNP spokesperson Benigno Durana said the protesters are allied with the communists rebels.

But Police Superintendent Jay Dimaandal who manned the command post during the September 21 protest in Luneta told GMA News Online in an interview that the Luneta crowd only had ordinary protesters. —Llanesca T. Panti/KG, GMA News