Ex-Defense chief: People power, not coup d'etat
MANILA, Philippines - Former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales on Tuesday denied allegations he is plotting a coup d'etat against President Benigno Aquino III.
In an interview on ANC's Headstart, Gonzales admitted he is mobilizing people but not as an ouster for the President.
"I'm mobilizing our people... It's not a coup, it's people power," Gonzales said.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV earlier tagged Gonzales as one of the people planning a coup against Aquino.
Trillanes claimed that his informant was present during a meeting of unnamed groups planning to overthrow the President.
READ: Ex-defense chief tagged in ouster plot vs Noy
"Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggagaling si Senator Trillanes ... Hindi tama 'yung lagi mong iniisip na 'yung mga nagpaplano ng pagbabago ay gustong gamitin ang taumbayan at kontrolin," Gonzales said in separate dzMM interview.
Gonzales questioned Trillanes' intelligence report, adding that the senator might just be "fishing."
"Intelligence gathering is very tricky. I've been in that business so let us be careful in making conclusions out of raw data," Gonzales said.
Gonzales added that he knew some of the people planning the coup against the President but assured that it will not happen.
The former Defense secretary also denied that he is the "very rich man" financing the president's ouster.
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago earlier cited an intelligence report revealing that unnamed groups conducted a meeting to oust Aquino.
Santiago urged Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin to arrest alleged coup plotters as it is a crime under the penal code.
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