MANILA, Philippines – No need to plot a coup against the administration.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said President Rodrigo Duterte is already destroying himself so much that there is no need for anyone to plan a coup d’etat against him.

“Hindi po totoo ‘yan. Alam ‘nyo, ‘di na kailangan mag-coup sa gobyernong ito dahil nagsasarili naman,” Trillanes told reporters on Tuesday, October 4.

(It’s not true. You know, there’s no need to hold a coup against this government because it’s destructing on its own.)

Asked what exactly he meant by that, Trillanes said: “They’re self destructing eh. Ang problema (The problem is), what’s unfortunate is they’re dragging the whole country down.” (READ: Duterte: My mouth can’t bring down PH)

Trillanes slammed the administration anew for blaming the negative image of the Philippines on the Senate probe into extrajudicial killings. The problem, he said, is the President himself and not the congressional inquiry.

“Ngayon sinasabi nila na ang hearings ang source of negativity sa Pilipinas. Presidente nila. Murahin mo lahat, paano na?” he said.

(Now they’re saying that the hearings are the source of negativity in the Philippines. It’s their President. You go around and curse everyone, how is that?)

The senator was reacting to the accusations of Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr that Trillanes, some members of the Liberal Party, and a number of elite businessmen are out to topple the President.

Speaking on Friday, September 30, Evasco said that no amount of talking would bring about destabilization. Plotters, he said, “have to have an armed component” to pursue their plans.

“So karon, sigi silang pagkumbinsi sa military ug pulis, kini si (Senator Antonio) Trillanes (IV), nga mo-apil sa ilang kausa pagpukan ni Duterte,” Evasco said in Bisaya.

(Now, they are convincing the military and police, this Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, to join their cause to topple Duterte.)

The Cabinet Secretary claimed that the so-called elite in Manila identified with the Liberal Party could not accept that they would be defeated by somebody who comes from Mindanao.

“That’s because they look down on us, they did not know that our minds were molded by our experiences, our studies, and our outlook of life that the elite don’t have,” Evasco said.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte’s staunch supporter in the chamber, has repeatedly accused the LP and its allies of plotting the President’s ouster. Cayetano said the LP’s “Plan B” is for Vice President Leni Robredo to take over from Duterte so that the political party could once again rule Malacañang. 

The LP is the party of Duterte’s predecessor, former president Benigno Aquino III, who endorsed Manuel Roxas II in the 2016 polls.

Party members, including Robredo, have strongly denied such accusations. – Rappler.com