‘Red October’ prodding Duterte to declare martial law – AFP

Military official clears opposition but tags Metro Manila schools

General Carlito Galvez Jr. (right), Armed Forces chief of staff, and Department of Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana testify during a Senate hearing on the proposed Defense budget for 2019 on Tuesday, Oct. 2. BENJIE CASTRO FOR GMA NEWS

MANILA – Rebels are trying to force President Rodrigo Duterte to put the country under martial law by hatching the so-called “Red October” ouster plot, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Most probably they wanted the President to declare a revolutionary government, claimed General Carlito Galvez Jr., AFP chief of staff.

“Like in Plaza Miranda, they will create chaos and force the President to declare martial law nationwide,” Galvez said during a Senate hearing on the Defense department budget Tuesday.

“We believe that the communists are trying to form a coalition with the opposition and previous government destabilizers while setting a trap for Duterte to declare martial law,” he added.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque told a Palace media briefing Tuesday that there is no reason for Duterte to declare martial law with the administration “still in control.”

“The administration is still in control so there is no reason to declare martial law nationwide,” Roque said. “The President will only declare it if needed, just like in Mindanao.”

OPPOSITION CLEARED

Galvez also cleared opposition senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Francis Pangilinan, president of the Liberal Party, of involvement in the alleged plot.

“Basically, this is a sinister plot of the CCP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army),” Galvez said. “Kung makikita po natin talaga they would like to have a coalition with the opposition. That’s why our intention is really to protect iyong ating legitimate opposition.”

Trillanes asked Galvez if, based on their intelligence information, that the opposition were forging a coalition with the CPP-NPA to remove Duterte, the AFP chief of staff quickly replied no.

“I’m glad, Sir, at least maliwanag. Iyon kasi talagang hindi namin gagawin iyon,” Trillanes told Galvez. “We at the opposition were trying to influence also within legitimate opposition to steer clear of the communist rebels.”

“For as long as they (rebels) are killing our soldiers, talagang magiging tubig at langis ito. Hindi talagang paghaluin ito,” the senator added.

SCHOOLS INVOLVED?

But Galvez further claimed that at least 10 universities in Metro Manila have allegedly been organized by a broad coalition led by the CPP.

According to Galvez, the “Red October” plot is a combined armed struggle and legal struggle by the CPP-NPA using a broad coalition with all the opposition, including the youth or students and the labor sector.

“The CPP-NPA are making a lot of information drive wherein they will show to (all) high school and even college students the different atrocities committed during the Marcos regime and equate that to present administration,” Galvez said.

He claimed that they have a document which shows that CPP founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison has conducted a lot of conferences with University of the Philippines students.

Meron po kaming document. I can’t reveal it but I can reveal in the executive session so that we can see the vast efforts of the CPP-NPA to oust Duterte,” Galvez said.

Moreover the “Red October” plot involves so-called “Operation Talsik (ouster) and “Operation Aklasan (protest),” where plotters would conduct labor protests and “tactical offenses” in the countryside, the military official further said./PN

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