MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Panfilo Lacson believes the alleged plan of the Liberal Party (LP) to oust President Duterte and install Vice President Leni Robredo is farfetched and baseless.
Lacson was reacting to Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano’s allegation that the Senate committee on justice and human rights’ inquiry into the alleged extrajudicial killings in Davao City and in the ongoing war on drugs could be part of the LP’s “Plan B” to oust the President.
“Gusto ko ipakita na merong posibleng motibo ng paninira sa ating Pangulo dito (I want to show that there’s a possible motive of ruining the President in this inquiry),” Cayetano said during last Thursday’s hearing. “I’m asking about you (Sen. De Lima), your motive, and the motive of your party in this hearing. I am testing whether (the witnesses are credible) or is this part of the Plan B of the Liberal Party para makuha ang Malacañang at manira lang.”
While critical of the way the hearings are being conducted by Sen. Leila de Lima, Lacson said he does not buy Cayetano’s theory.
“With all due respect to Alan Peter Cayetano, I think his projection is quite a stretch,” Lacson said. “I believe it has no basis. I know VP Leni personally. I am not that close to her, but I don’t see her as one who would go through that just to assume the presidency.”
The Vice President, De Lima, and her LP colleagues in the Senate have all denied the allegations that they were behind a plot to oust the President.
“It seems out of bounds, for lack of a better description. Out of bounds because the speculation was not supposed to be made during such hearing,” he said, at the same time he respected the opinion of Cayetano “who might just have some information.”