Bam: Destab plot? Economic situation is what’s destabilizing PHL

Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino on Wednesday reiterated that there is no destabilization plot by the opposition against the Duterte government, saying that if there is anything destabilizing the country, it is the pressing economic situation.

In an interview in News To Go, Aquino said accusations of destabilization plots are far from new.

"Hindi na to bago, matagal nang sinasabi na may mga sabwatan, may destabilization, but as we've said early on, ang pinaka-pinagsasabwatan namin ngayon, yung mga problema ng mga tao pagdating sa ekonomiya, pagdating sa bigas, pagdating sa pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin ," he said.

Earlier this week, Malacañang warned of a “massive destabilization” plot from groups allegedly wanting to oust President Rodrigo Duterte in time for the 46th anniversary of Martial Law under the Marcos regime.

Duterte had also claimed there is a unified effort by the opposition Liberal Party, communist rebels, and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to topple him from the presidency by October.

The President said the three groups were plotting for his removal, an allegation that was immediately denied by the LP and Trillanes, who called the President “paranoid.”

Aquino said that it is the rice crisis and alarming inflation that is cause for concern, and the topics he had hoped Duterte would address during the nationally televised exchange with chief presidential legal counsel Secretary Salvador Panelo in Malacañang on Tuesday.

"I expected na bibigyan pansin niya yung dalawang pinakmahalagang issue ngayon ng ating bayan which is of course yung presyo ng bigas at yung presyo ng bilihin. Unfortunately medyo kulang, kulang yung nabanggit tungkol diyan," Aquino said.

"What is truly destabilizing? Ano yung nakakagulo sa atin? Yung patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin, yung pinipilahan mo yung NFA rice, yan yung totoong destabilizing sa ating bansa, yan sana yung binigyan tutok sana kahapon," he added.

Several regions have been placed under state of calamity due to the shortage of rice.

The prices of commercial rice have rocketed as stocks of NFA rice run low. — Jessica Bartolome/BM, GMA News