Senators believe, downplay plot to oust Rody

MANILA, Philippines - There is indeed a plot to destabilize the administration of President Duterte,  Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said yesterday.

Ejercito said the lawyers – Jose Diokno, Arno Sanidad and Alex Padilla – surrounding self-confessed Davao Death Squad hitman Arthur Lascañas during his press conference at the Senate on Monday were the “familiar” faces that conspired to overthrow his father, then president Joseph Estrada.

“They (lawyers) were the same people who conspired, who were with the conspirators to oust then president (Joseph) Estrada at that time (2001) so they’re here again,” he said.

“I hope President Duterte should be wary because destabilization efforts take time. It’s like termites slowly destroying you until you’re weak and you’ll be pushed aside,” he said.

“These people have a record already of being conspirators in the past.”

Sen. Manny Pacquiao believes any destabilization attempt against Duterte won’t succeed as he enjoys strong support from the people.

He said Sen. Leila De Lima and others calling on the people to withdraw support from Duterte should respect his “overwhelming” mandate.

“We have a very good President. We’re so blessed God provided us a good leader, a strong leader,” Pacquiao said.

“I don’t think the people will take the bait (destabilization).”

Pacquiao described De Lima’s name-calling of Duterte as a “murderer” and a “psychopath” as “below the belt.”

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Malacañang appears to be adding up adverse developments, leading to a conclusion of a destabilization plot.

“I don’t know of anything like that,” Lacson said.

Sen. Gregorio Honasan, who led power grabs in the 1980s, also downplayed such warnings, saying if such plots are discussed openly, then they have already fizzled out.

All for one

Cabinet officials were one in questioning De Lima’s call to proclaim Duterte unfit as president following Lascañas’ claims.

Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra sees no cause for alarm over De Lima’s call for the people to come out to show disgust over Duterte.

“No, there’s nothing criminal about that. If it’s inciting to rise up in arms against the government, then I guess that’s the one that she would be of concern,” Guevarra said.

“But otherwise, if it’s just a call to everyone to gather together, to express their sentiment and so forth and so on, that’s actually freedom of expression and assembly,” he said.

Chief presidential legal adviser Salvador Panelo said the issues hurled against Duterte were rehashed, all aimed at destroying him.

“But you must remember that these are old issues against the man. It started when he was still mayor, many investigations have been made, but no charges have been filed against him,” Panelo said.

Panelo added the accusations are politically-motivated, aimed at booting Duterte out of office.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella doubted the credibility of Lascañas.

“Based on how he has performed as a witness, he seems rather discredited … In 2016, he denied certain things and in 2017, he flip-flops,” Abella said.

Because of his flip-flopping, Abella said the credibility of Lascañas is now in question. 

“So that certainly puts everything that he says in a doubtful light. So we’ll leave it at that,” he said.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said they are considering filing perjury charges against Lascañas.

“We will investigate this, his (Lascañas’) admissions of his killings and file charges against him just like what happened to Edgar Matobato,” Aguirre said, referring to the self-confessed hitman of the Davao Death Squad.

Abella parried queries that Malacañang is downplaying the accusations against Duterte. – With Christina Mendez, Edu Punay