DEPARTMENT of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on April 18, 2021, branded as ‘fake news’ and ‘disinformation’ a social media post claiming upwards to 500 retired and active military generals are plotting to oust President Duterte for his policy to become close to the People’s Republic of China.
“We denounce the irresponsible propaganda being propagated in online posts alleging that a group of retired and active military officers are withdrawing their support for the President.
“This is fake news! I am not, and will never be, a part of any such group — neither are the officials at the Department of National Defense, many of whom are also retired military officers,” Lorenzana said.
The patent intrigue, which was “tweeted” by “@infopsph” last April 15, 2021, was given further traction and added credibility after ‘politiko.com.ph,’ an online news site, decided to publish it. It was claimed that both Lorenzana and current AFP chief, Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, are already talking with the Americans “over the issue.”
The post claimed that even national security adviser, Hermogenes Esperon, a former Armed Forces chief, now “demand strong condemnation of China from Pres. Duterte.”
The rumor of a coup against the President is not something new.
It can be recalled that in September 2016, former Cabinet secretary, Leoncio Evasco Jr., bared that the “Yellows” (Liberal Party) and the “Magdalo Group” identified with Sen. Antonio Trillanes, with the help of unidentified “rich businessmen,” are allegedly planning to oust Pres. Duterte and install Leni Robredo in his place.
But, Evasco said, the plan went kaput as the plotters cannot muster enough military and civilian support.
In December of the same year, Dante Ang, owner of the Manila Times, bared that the United States are also plotting to destabilize the country and remove Pres. Duterte from office based on what he revealed as the ‘Goldberg Plan,’ purportedly left behind by former US ambassador Philip Goldberg, a veteran CIA operative who destabilized many countries in Central and Latin America, before being moved to the diplomatic corps in the State Department.
The plot however, was officially disowned later by the United States embassy and subsequently nearly forgotten.
That there are grumblings in the top echelon of the AFP, especially among the retired top brass is confirmed however by an active Army general, who rebutted many of the criticisms being hurled against their commander in chief by his retired and active colleagues.
The official also stressed that the AFP “will never” support any effort to oust the President, adding that if his colleagues cannot be content with their criticisms, “they can always jump ship,” in other words, resign.
Lorenzana also called on the present destabilizers “to cease from propagating malicious statements especially at a time when our people should all be coming together in the face of the challenges that we are all currently facing.”
“You are not helping our country and people at all,” the defense chief stressed.