Military clears LP, Magdalo in alleged oust-Duterte plot

The military has cleared the opposition groups Liberal Party and Magdalo in the alleged Red October scheme which supposedly aims to oust President Rodrigo Duterte from power.

Attending Tuesday's hearing of the Senate finance committee on the proposed 2019 budget of the Defense Department, Armed Forces chief General Carlito Galvez Jr. was asked by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV if the Magdalo and the LP headed by Senator Francis Pangilinan are involved in the supposed Red October plot.

“It is the sinister plot ng CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army). They would like to have a coalition with opposition groups, and the intention of the military is to protect the legitimate opposition,” Galvez replied.

Trillanes then pressed on by asking Galvez if the Magdalo and LP forged a coalition with the communist rebels to pull off the Red October plot.

To which Galvez responded: “No, sir.”

Trillanes welcomed Galvez’s statement, saying that it is truth that needs to be ventilated.

“I am glad. Maliwanag na 'di namin gagawin 'yun [Red October plot]. We are trying to exert our influence as a legitimate opposition and steer clear of these communists because iba po ang plano nila sa bayan. As long as they are killing our soldiers, tubig at langis po ito, hindi puede paghaluin,” Trillanes, a former Navy officer, pointed out.

Pangilinan asked Galvez the same question, saying: “You said that the CPP would like to have a coalition with other forces. That is different from other forces being in coalition with the communist to oust the President. Is there a coalition between the party (LP) and the CPP to oust the President?”

To which Galvez replied “None, sir.”

Pangilinan also backed up Trillanes’ position that LP would not forge an alliance with the communist rebels.

“There is no desire from the LP to oust President Duterte. We will not support any unconstitutional approach. If you have information that any member of the party is involved with this [Red October plot], we will expel that party member. We swore to an oath to defend the Constitution,” Pangilinan said.

But Galvez refused to answer Trillanes’ question if Magdalo members are recruiting active uniformed men to participate in any effort to oust Duterte. “Sir, can we have an executive session on this?” Galvez said.

Trillanes then asked if the military cannot issue a categorical statement.

To which, Galvez replied: “Sir, can we have a personal [conversation] sa inyo mamaya?” Trillanes agreed to Galvez’s request.

Earlier, Brigadier General Antonio Parlade Jr., the military’s deputy chief of staff for operations,  announced the alleged Red October plot which he described as a communist-led plot to oust Duterte and that the communists are reaching out to legitimate opposition groups such as the LP, Magdalo and Tindig Pilipinas as well as farmers, laborers and fisherfolk to mobilize forces for the undertaking.

Parlade also claimed that the plot was supposed to be executed last September 21 to coincide with the 46th anniversary of President Ferdinand Marcos’ Martial Law declaration.

Parlade, however, said that the rest of the opposition groups backed out of the plan upon learning that the movement was led by the communist rebels. — RSJ, GMA News