MANILA -- Efforts to oust President Rodrigo R. Duterte are all doomed to fail as these lack popular support, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Tuesday.
He made this comment when asked on how different the so-called "Red October" is from past ouster plots against the government.
"Like the other plots of the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army) this too will fail for lack of popular support. What they planned to do is initiate mass action which they hope to snowball into a People Power such as what they intended last Sept. 21 or ML (Martial Law) anniversary," Lorenzana said in a message to reporters.
But this did not take place as the turn-out was "pitifully small", he added.
"The turn-out was pitifully small. The pro-PRRD crowd were greater in number. Despite these setback, they (CPP/NPA) will keep trying," the defense chief added.
The defense chief also said there is still no need for emergency powers because the country is not yet facing an emergency situation.
"These(ouster plots) are just irritants that somehow distracts us from properly governing," he added.
Earlier, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) assistant deputy chief-of-staff for operations Brig. Gen. Antonio Parlade said there are plans to oust Duterte and the government, dubbed called "Red October", by next month.
The ouster plan coincides with the international celebration for Marxism and the Indigenous Peoples Month.
Allegedly, participants would be coming from a grand coalition and a broad united front. (PNA)
