Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Friday corroborated talk of a destabilization plot, pointing at members of the “political opposition” as organizers of rallies that are expected to start next week.
Trillanes, who himself participated in failed mutinies against the Arroyo administration, said, though, that no members of the military have attended planning meetings.
“Ang profile ay political oppositon, some civil society groups, Catholic church, some leftist groups,” he said but did not specify which groups. He also declined from naming the supposedly rich financier behind the plot.
Asked whether the supposed plotters are associated with the Arroyo administration, Trillanes replied: “Lahat lahat na, sama sama na lahat ng against kay PNoy.”
He stressed, though that nobody from the military is involved in the plans, which supposedly involve massive rallies to “ride on” public sentiment over the Mamasapano incident. “Pilit nilang ikino-konekta kay Pangulong Aquino ang insidente para ma-direct sa kanya ang galit . That is their formula,” he said.
He said, though, that blame for the clash that killed 44 members of the elite police Special Action Force after a mission to get terrorists Zulkilfi Bin Hir (alias Marwan) and Abdul Basit Usman in a Maguindanao town rests with Director Getulio Napeñas Jr., who was relieved as SAF chief after the Jan. 25 clash.
“Sa amin (military) kasi, simple mag-isip. Sa mata ng isang opisyal, kapag binigyan ka ng misyon, bibigyan kang resources to accomplish that mission, bibigyan ka ng latitude to craft a plan para sa misyon na yan, ikaw din mage-execute. Kapag sumabit ka, pag nag-fail ka sa mission na yan, di ka puwedeng magturo,” he said.
Napeñas has said at congressional hearings that he decided to go ahead with the mission despite a supposed lack of communication with the military and with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the area.
“Kasama yan sa training namin, kasama yan sa indoctrination namin. You should be man enough to accept the responsibility for that failure,” Trillanes said.
‘Aquino not corrupt’
Trillanes, a former Navy officer, said it is unlikely that the military will participate in the supposed plot.
“Based sa psyche namin, dati tayong na-recruit ng ganyan… Ang pinaka-ugat either disgruntled ka sa internal organization or sa commander-in-chief may problema. Either corrupt sya or oppressive or both. Historically, yan ang reasons,” he said.
The Palace said on Thursday that the military is ready to thwart any coup attempt.
Earlier this month, the Department of National Defense acknowledged there are coup rumors, but stressed that — JDS, GMA News
