Panelo says plotters’ matrix came from ‘unknown number’, not from Duterte

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo admitted on Thursday that he got the copy of the matrix naming the personalities involved in an alleged plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte from an unknown source.

Panelo, in effect, took back his earlier pronouncement in a televised news briefing that Duterte himself gave him the diagram. 

The concurrent chief presidential legal counsel in the earlier briefing went as far as tell the media that Duterte would be able to explain the diagram, something that he could not do.

On Thursday, Panelo said he received the matrix on his mobile phone from an unknown number after his telephone conversation with Duterte over the Holy Week about the President's instruction to discuss the diagram and the ouster plot at his regular press briefing.

"Wala siyang binigay. Hindi naman siya ang nagbigay. Basta may nagpadala a akin ng matrix. Hindi ba sabi ko sa inyo may nagpadala sa akin ng text, hindi ba pinakita ko nga sa inyo, nasa telepono ko eh," Panelo said at a news conference.

Asked to reveal the source of the document, Panelo said: "Hindi ko alam... Walang numbers nga eh. Basta hindi siya naka-record sa aking ano [phone]."

Panelo said in his April 22 press briefing that the source of the ouster plot matrix was the Duterte himself.

"The source of that is from the Office of the President, from the President himself...I talked to him the other day," Panelo said.

After receiving the document, Panelo said he said he instructed his staff to take a screenshot of the "Oust Duterte" matrix from the article of the Manila Times, which first reported the matter, because the one he got was blurry.

"Kasi nasa Manila Times pareho din, eh ano pa bang ibang pag-uusapan. It would be different kung mayroong lumabas pang isa at hindi pareho sa natanggap ko," he said.

Panelo said he did not verify Duterte's claim of plans to unseat him because the President would "not lie about these things."

"I believe the President when he says there is. He’s an authority. He is the Chief Executive of the land. He has unlimited sources of information," Panelo said.

"The President does not lie on anything; on serious matters especially it involves the work of the President. He’s a very honest man," he added.

Panelo said he and Duterte never talked about the matrix again.

Citing a source from the Office of the President, the Manila Times published on April 22 an article detailing an alleged plot being concocted by news sites Rappler, VERA Files, and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, as well as the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers to "discredit" Duterte and "destabilize" his administration.

The report also showed a supposed matrix that links veteran journalist and VERA Files president Ellen Tordesillas and other individuals to the person known as "Bikoy," who has alleged in a series of anonymous videos that members of the Duterte family are involved in the illegal drug trade.

Panelo would later say that he was supposed to release the matrix himself, but that the Manila Times beat him to it.

The PCIJ, VERA Files, Rappler and the NUPL all strongly denied the alleged conspiracy to oust Duterte.

Panelo said that it was "totally unnecessary" for the government to provide evidence on the ouster plot matrix, arguing information on an alleged plot is not actionable in court "it being just a conspiracy."

"What we’re saying is we’re just telling you that we know of your plans. So, we’re putting you on notice that better not push through with it because if you perform overt criminal acts, then that is the time for you to be prosecuted," Panelo told reporters.

"So if you want to escape criminal responsibility, just forget about it," he added. —NB, GMA News