MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte is wondering how he was “dragged” into the alleged scheme to destabilize the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
In his radio program over Sonshine Media Network International, the ex-chief executive confirmed that he did have conversations with some retired generals but denied suggestions of his involvement in the alleged anti-Marcos administration plot.
“I really do not know how I was dragged into this, but you know, as a former employee of the government, I remember talking to some retired generals,” he said Tuesday.
“What I just said there was that as long as there is no serious corruption issue. I said that what would bring the government down the drain is if people find out that you are spending their money for yourself. That is what I told the military,” he added.
Duterte said he might have been misquoted. He also said that he thinks the current administration has no issue with corruption.
“I don’t have anything to say about Marcos. I wouldn’t say he is corrupt, but I can only speak for him. I categorical statement to others; it’s not because they did something wrong, but because I don’t know,” he said.
Last November 3, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. revealed supposed destabilization moves against the administration. Some retired military officers were purportedly hatching the alleged scheme.
But the AFP subsequently clarified that Brawner was only “misquoted” and that there was no such destabilization plot.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada, meanwhile, said he does not believe that former president Duterte is involved in the alleged plot.
“That former President Duterte is involved with destabilization? I don’t think so,” said Estrada, chair of the Senate’s committee on national defense and security, peace, unification, and reconciliation, during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday.
“Maybe they are just chit-chatting, catching up; that’s what we did back in the day, but not plotting a coup,” he added.
The senator – whose father, former President Joseph Estrada, was ousted by a military-backed street protest revolution in 2001 – said engaging and staging coup d’etat should not happen again because the current administration is doing everything “to improve the lives of Filipinos.”
“I just don’t want coup d’etat to happen again because we cannot move forward when there are coup d’etats again. We are just going backward, and nothing is happening in our country,” Estrada said. (Faith Argosino © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
