DILG chief also clears Liberal Party, Magdalo in ouster plot

MANILA, Philippines — It’s the turn of interior and local government chief Eduardo Año to suggest that only communist rebels – and not the opposition Liberal Party or the Magdalo group – are involved in Red October, the supposed plot to oust President Duterte.

Año’s statement came a day after Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Carlito Galvez said at a Senate budget hearing that the LP and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV were not part of Red October hatched by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and New People’s Army (NPA). Trillanes was a member of the Magdalo.

“There is the attempt of the CPP-NPA to involve these groups... Magdalo and LP, but I think LP and Magdalo are smart enough not to be trapped in this kind,” Año told reporters after the launch of an anti-corruption campaign at Crowne Plaza hotel in Ortigas.

“CPP talaga ’yan, Red October is purely a CPP-NPA plot. Pero ang gusto nila sana ma-involve ’yung ibang grupo (But they want to involve other groups) through alliance, so ganon ’yun,” Año said.

He said the alleged destabilization plot had already been “foiled and prevented” by government forces.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde downplayed the alleged destabilization threat as “not that serious,” at least based on police intelligence.

“I don’t know with the other intelligence community because I have no access to their report,” Albayalde said in English and Filipino when asked about the seriousness of the threat at a press briefing in Camp Crame.

He clarified that President Duterte has “unlimited” sources of information to which he personally has no access.

“I think there is a basis for the statement of the President. Remember the President has unlimited access to information,” he pointed out.

President Duterte was claiming opposition groups were plotting his ouster.

Earlier, the AFP claimed that communist rebels are expanding its network to launch the “Red October” plot. The military also linked the supposed ouster plot to a raid on a farm in Rizal where several firearms were confiscated.

Albayalde said certain groups were instigating protest actions at companies to create an atmosphere of instability.

The CPP, meanwhile, insisted it has nothing to do with the “wildly concocted” destabilization plot supposedly intended to force Duterte to declare martial law.

In a statement posted on the National Democratic Front website, the CPP said the AFP claim linking the communist movement to the so-called Red October plot “simply defies logic.”

“Duterte and his minions in the AFP have gone completely cuckoo in claiming that the CPP is pushing Duterte to declare martial law nationwide through its wildly concocted Red October ouster plot,” the CPP said.

“Again, there is no Red October plot orchestrated by the CPP. The more Duterte and the AFP are trying to prove this so-called plot, the more they sound incredulous,” the CPP said. – with Jose Rodel Clapano, Mayen Jaymalin, Marvin Sy