AFP, PNP monitoring armed groups in destab plot

From the Daily Tribune (Oct 7): AFP, PNP monitoring armed groups in destab plot

Amid reports of supposed destabilization plot against the Duterte administration, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is closely monitoring armed threat groups, particularly the New People’s Army (NPA) that may take advantage of the situation.

Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr., AFP spokesman, stressed that any destabilization attempt will not come from the ranks of the uniformed services as he cited the Commander in Chief’s all-out support to the troops.

“Any destabilization that we hear will not come from the ranks of the Armed Forces because we have a commander in chief who has concern for every soldier, taking care of every uniformed men who are doing their job,” said Padilla.

President Duterte is known for his closeness to both the AFP and the (PNP). He has spent so much of his time visiting camps throughout the country to be with the troops.
Duterte also promised to double the salary of the troops.

No less than Duterte earlier revealed that the political opposition, whom he calls the “yellows”, and the communist group are now conspiring to oust him.

However, Padilla said that the military is not focused on the political side but is closely monitoring armed anti-government groups that could exploit the situation.

“The Armed Forces is on guard against the armed groups…on the side of politics, others are monitoring that,” said Padilla.

The AFP spokesman, however, did not totally dismiss the possibility that anti-government groups may form an alliance.

“(Those) that are against government are not only individuals, there are groups, many groups. And it may not be far-fetched that one or two of them may be also assisting other groups that are against government,” said Padilla.

Earlier, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that they have not monitored any plot to destabilize the Duterte administration.

The AFP also vowed to crush any attempt to disrupt the democratic ways in the country by any group.

“The AFP will not allow any attempt that would tend to undermine the stability of our government,” said Col. Edgard Arevalo, AFP public affairs chief.

“ We will frustrate any efforts that will cause the disruption of our democratic way of life. That is and shall always be our commitment to the nation and our people,” he added.

NCRPO chief sees destab angle in teeners’ deaths

On the part of the PNP, the deaths of three teenagers allegedly perpetrated by policemen may be part of a destabilization plot to sabotage the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, according to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Oscar Albayalde.

During a press briefing yesterday, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II recounted his short meeting with Albayalde, who stressed that around 500 youths who were arrested in anti-drug operations were captured alive.

Aguirre said that Albayalde wanted to meet with him yesterday to discuss the possibility of providing police with the “immediate legal component on the war on drugs.”

Albayalde, according to Aguirre, insisted that only 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos, 19-year old Carl Angelo Arnaiz and 14-year old Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman ended up dead in anti-drug operations.

“It appears that (the killings are) calculated (to spark)in order for the policemen to be blamed,” the Justice chief told reporters.

“When police are blamed it would reflect on the President,” Aguirre lamented.
With this, Aguirre reiterated Duterte’s pronouncements that killings could be of destabilization efforts against the administration, adding that there may be police scalawags who are “in cahoots with destabilizers.”

Moreover, the Justice chief bared that the NCRPO chief wanted the Department of Justice (DoJ) to be able to provide legal assistance to policemen who would require legal advice in the performance of their duty amid the war on drugs.

But Aguirre said he has yet to commit to Albayalde’s request, explaining that DoJ is lacking over 1,000 prosecutors in its work force. He added the such legal assistance component is also being before Congress.
 http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/afp-pnp-monitoring-armed-groups-in-destab-plot