Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas in a huddle on Day 2 of the Mamasapano Senate hearing, 10 February 2015. FILE PHOTO
(UPDATE, 12:30 p.m.) Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Thursday acknowledged receiving reports about a plan for a military takeover following the Mamasapano incident, but added that the reports are still being verified.
Gazmin acknowledged the information as he was being questioned by Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago during a Senate hearing on the January 25 debacle. The senator said her sources indicated that a "very rich" - and ultimately unnamed - financier was out to back a coup.
"All of those planners should be arrested immediately because like any other crime under the penal code, the crime of coup d'etat has three stages: attempted, frustrated, and consummated. So arestuhin na sila dapat (They should be arrested)," Sen. Santiago said.
Gazmin said high ranking military officials are unlikely to support any coup.
"As far as a coup d'etat is concerned, it will entail the support of the military and we are very confident that the military will not be involved in this coup d'etat," the defense chief said.
Santiago said she has received intelligence information "as of yesterday that leaders of certain alphabet soup acronyms who are familiar with the public had a recent meeting, because they wanted to discuss how to stage a coup d'etat, who should be installed as president, and even their contributors were there."
After the hearing, Santiago held a press conference and said the coup financier “is one who also funded similar coup d‘etat in the past. That is why you know him.”
“I don’t want to make a big deal out it, until after the DND (Department of National Defense) has already finish on what they call this morning their investigation or clarification,” she said.
Santiago said that no matter how she much she criticizes the President, she is strongly against a military takeover, which “since as of last report…was the subject of a summit meeting with groups who want to eliminate the president to make way for somebody else.”
The senator said the group has not reached a consensus among themselves (while) its members are still meeting together with the financier, the most prominent financier who is the richest man of all.”
“I think you are familiar who that is,” Santiago said.
Santiago said she is against the removal of President Aquino by any means other than the legal means, that is, impeachment.
“At present, the President can only be impeached out of office. Thereafter, he can be sued. Therefore my criticism should be taken as surgical operations to determine what should not be done again,” she said.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/104933/dnd-verifying-reports-of-coup-plot--sen--miriam-tags-very-rich-financier
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.