Supposed ‘Oplan Stop Nognog’ meant to divert attention from Makati probe – Trillanes

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday said the United Nationalist Alliance's claim of a campaign by administration allies to discredit Vice President Jejomar Binay is meant to divert attention from corruption allegations against him.

“Gumagawa lang sila ng diversion or distraction — or worse, eh, baka napapraning na lang si Vice President Binay,” Trillanes said at a news forum at the Senate.

UNA Secretary General JV Bautista earlier claimed in a television interview that Interior Secretary Mar Roxas was the brains behind a “well-funded, well-financed, and well-organized conspiracy” to destroy Binay. The plot is reportedly called “Operation Stop Nognog in 2016”.

On Wednesday, Bautista tagged Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Senate President Franklin Drilon, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Joel Villanueva, together with Trillanes and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano as those behind the plot.

Binay has been accused by former Makati officials of rigging biddings and receiving a 13-percent kickback in every transaction the city government entered into during his term as mayor.

He was also accused of using dummies to hide his interest in different corporations and and to hide his supposed ownership of a 350-hectare property in Rosario, Batangas

Trillanes said he knew for a fact that Liberal Party is not involved in the supposed smear campaign against Binay.

“Kung alam niyo lang yung totoong storya dito, hindi nyo talaga paniniwalaan yung ganyan,” he said, but did not elaborate.

'No NP coalition with UNA'

Meanwhile, the senator also said that he will block any effort to make Nacionalista Party enter a coalitions with the Vice President’s political party.

“Yung sinasabi na may talks about the possible coalition between  NP and Vice President Binay, hindi po totoo yan. Nasa guni-guni lang yan ni Governor Jonvic Remulla. Hindi po mangyayari yan. Haharangin po natin yan,” said Trillanes.
 
Both Trillanes and Remulla — Binay’s spokesperson for political affairs — are members of NP. Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, one of the senators accusing Binay of corruption, is also an NP member.

Asked if he will leave NP if ever such a coalition happens, Trillanes said he talked with the leaders of NP and they assured him there is no such plan.

“Pero kung darating yun, palagay ko si (former) Senator Manny Villar (NP president) will respect the decision of the other members na pumunta at sumapi sa ibang grupo dahil in the same way na tinotolerate itong si Gov. Jonvic na pumupustura siya as if talagang officially sanctioned yung role niya ng NP,” he said.

The senator said he will also not ask the party leadership to sanction or remove Remulla from the party as it is not how Villar handles the party but he wanted the latter to be enlightened.

“Ang hinihintay natin dito na maliwanagan siya (Remulla) nang kusa na nandudoon siya sa hanay ng kadiliman,” Trillanes said.

Remulla, for his part, said Trillanes is just one member of the party.

“He shouldn’t inflate his self worth. He should concentrate on explaining why he had so many vehicles under his name as per the LTO (Land Transportation Office), rather than being a lead player in a kangaroo court,” he said in a text message to GMA News Online.

UNA earlier said Trillanes has eight vehicles under his name but that these were not declared in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.

Trillanes earlier denied the accusation saying it is an old issue that has already been dismissed by the Ombudsman and the court. — JDS, GMA News