De Lima warns anti-Aquino group of rebellion raps
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Sunday strongly warned a group critics of President Benigno Aquino III that they may be sued for conspiring to install a "civilian-military junta."
De Lima believes the strategy of the National Transformation Council (NTC) organizing a "military-backed people power uprising" does not have legal bases and made by allies of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Aquino's political foe.
"Everything in this strategy is illegal and unconstitutional, except probably for the people power part if executed merely as a form of mass mobilization in the exercise of people's freedom of assembly," De Lima said in a statement.
She claimed the group had started meetings in 2014 and intends to install NTC members as governing body through the uprising.
"This is a false hope, since certain actions already implemented by the group, from organizing foras and conferences of supporters and sympathizers, can already be contemplated as conspiracies relating to sedition, rebellion or coup d'etat," the Justice secretary said.
De Lima identified former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales under Arroyo as among those leading the takeover plots.
"According to Gonzales, there is nothing wrong with people power, or a change in regime through people power, which was the case with EDSA 1 and 2. This is Gonzales' doublespeak," De Lima said.
Gonzales had denied that the NTC is behind the coup plots. He admitted, however, that he has been mobilizing people against Aquino.
The Department of Justice, meanwhile, also condemned the NTC's alleged call for military backing.
"The call for the military's support for its defense and installation is nothing less than a proposal or conspiracy to commit the crime of coup d'etat," De Lima said.
"A junta by any other sanitized name is still illegal and unconstitutional," she added.
She also cited provisions that the NTC may be violating in its strategies, such as conspiracy to commit rebellion under Article 136 of the Revised Penal Code and conspiracy to commit sedition under the Article 141.
The NTC may also at least inciting sedition or forming illegal assemblies punishable under Articles 142 and 146, respectively.
De Lima also expressed confidence that the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police will remain supportive of Aquino despite the clash that killed 44 police commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
She also accused the NTC of using the incident "to sow discord and division" in the ranks of the military and police.
"It is the height of pathetic gutter politics, when the tragic loss of 44 police officers killed in the line of duty is used by disgraced pathological personalities to crawl their way back to national relevance, at the expense of the people's effort to come to terms with the complex issue of peace in Mindanao," De Lima said.
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