CPP: ‘Red October’ an invention of the military

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on Tuesday denounced as a lie the claim by the Armed Forces of the Philippines that communist groups are plotting the ouster of President Rodrigo Duterte.

"The CPP denounces the Armed Forces of the Philippines for conjuring this fictional plot which clearly aims to set the stage for applying increasingly draconian measures against the Filipino people," the group said in a statement.

"This so-called Red October plot is nothing but an AFP invention. Like the rest of the AFP’s fakery, it is a poorly concocted story," the CPP said, adding that the military came up with the story as early as July.

"Is this a foreshadowing of a declaration of martial law by October? Indeed, 'Red October' sounds very similar to 1972 claims of a 'Maoist rebellion' which Marcos used as justification for declaring martial law and imposing his fascist dictatorship," the group added.

The communist group said that the real aim of the government forces is "to justify the implementation of increasingly severe measures in the name of defeating the plot to target legitimate protest actions which express the sentiments of a disgruntled people."

Duterte earlier accused members of the opposition, communist rebels, and the Magdalo group of planning destabilization efforts on September 21, the 46th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

The military vowed to suppress any move by communist groups to oust Duterte from power.

The Department of National Defense said that it is taking the "Red October" claim seriously, declaring that it will not prosper due to lack of public support.

In its statement, the CPP said that Duterte and the military have become insecure amid the rising political and economic crisis.

"By dispatching his defense secretary to Washington, Duterte has gone the lengths of seeking the assurance of US support. All these show Duterte’s kapit-tuko desperation to cling to power amid the increasingly acute crisis and mounting clamor for his ouster," the group's statement said.

According to the CPP, its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), will
continue to wage revolutionary armed struggle in the countryside.

"Given the increasingly difficult economic conditions of the people and rising internal political conflicts within the Duterte regime, the Party anticipates protests to continue to mount in the coming months," the CPP said. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BM, GMA News