Palace: Military’s intel community verifying alleged destab plot vs Marcos

The military’s intelligence community is verifying the claim of an alleged destabilization plot against the Marcos administration, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked about veteran journalist Mon Tulfo’s social media post that named some personalities who were allegedly behind the destabilization plot.

Castro said the Armed Forces of the Philippines already took note of Tulfo’s social media post the day before that linked some retired generals, politicians, and lawyers to supposed moves against the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The same post also alleged that some of Marcos’ critics – including Vice President Sara Duterte and her brother Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte – could be the possible financiers of the supposed destabilization plot.

“Ayon po sa AFP, sa mga ganitong klaseng mga sinasabi, although ito ay nasa social media, sa kanila po ito po ay ibinibigay na rin po sa kanilang intelligence community, minu-monitor, inaalam ang katotohanan,” Castro said.

(According to the AFP, these pieces of information on social media are given to the intelligence community to be monitored and verified.)

Castro stressed that such claims need to be validated and investigated thoroughly.

“Nasa intelligence community na po iyan. Kung mayroon silang makikitang dapat na talagang pagtuunan ng pansin ito naman po ay hindi tutulugan ng ating Pangulo,” she said.

(That’s already with the intelligence community. If they see something that we should focus on, the President won’t sleep on it.)

Speaking to reporters in Negros Occidental, the Vice President denied Tulfo's claim, calling it baseless. “Kapag meron kang alegasyon, wala kang ebidensya, ang tawag niyan ay chismis o ang tawag sa iyo ay chismosa,” she said.

(If you make allegations without evidence, that’s gossip—and you’re a gossipmonger.)

In a Facebook post on Monday, her brother also dismissed Tulfo’s claim as “full fantasy.”

“This guy has made a career out of gossip packaged as courage. But this time, he’s gone full fantasy — name-dropping people, inventing plots, and pretending he’s part of some spy thriller. The only destabilization happening here is in his grip on reality,” the Davao City solon said.

He added: “If this so-called ‘list’ is his version of insider intelligence, then the only thing that needs confirmation is whether he still knows the difference between fact and fiction.”

GMA News Online has sought comment from the AFP about Tulfo’s social media post, but the military has yet to comment on the issue as of posting time.

In October, Marcos expressed confidence that key sectors of society are supportive of his governance.

This was after the AFP said some retired generals attempted to convince active military personnel to withdraw support from the Marcos administration, but the military rebuffed such calls. — with a report by Sherylin Untalan/JMA/BM, GMA Integrated News