MANILA -- Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenza is right in saying that the ouster plot against President Rodrigo Duterte is not credible, Malacañang said on Wednesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador backed Lorenzana’s earlier statement dismissing any plot to oust Duterte since there is no evidence that it has the support from military and police.
“There is no inconsistency on what the DND Secretary said. He said for a plot to oust the President, plotter has to get support of military and police,” said Panelo in a statement.
“Since there is no showing in the military intelligence that there is evidence of recruitment then it is not a credible plot,” he added.
Panelo, however, emphasized that Lorenzana did not exactly deny the idea of an ouster plot but tagged it as incapable of succeeding.
“What he means is the plot is not capable of being successful, but that is not to say that there is no plot to oust him,” Panelo said.
Despite baring a series of matrices tagging the Liberal Party, Magdalo Group, and members of the media in a plot to discredit the President, Panelo said this did not mean that it had support from military and police.
“The President said there was a plot by the personalities and groups identified in the matrix, he did not say that there is support from the military and the police,” Panelo said.
“His exposing it to the public has pre-emptied the realization of the plot,” he added.
Earlier, Panelo defended the release of the matrices saying the public “deserved to know” about ouster plots against the leadership of their government.
He said the matrices were bared to simply show plotters that the Duterte administration is aware of their conspiracy.
“The matrix was disclosed to the public for the ring leaders and their co-plotters to know that we know, to put them on notice that pursuing their plan by committing overt acts punishable by law will open themselves to criminal prosecution,” Panelo said. (PNA)
