Alvarez, AFP: No destab moves, but… destab,moves, but...

MANILA, Philippines — The military has not monitored any destabilization but is prepared to defend the government against any such moves, officials said yesterday.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said the same thing but also vowed to defend President Duterte from any ouster attempt.

Asked if the defense or military establishments have monitored any destabilization moves, Defense Secrertary Delin Lorenzana said he was not aware of any such activities.

Col. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines-Public Affairs Office chief, stressed the military has not monitored any destabilization plans.

He said they have been in close contact with the other government agencies directly dealing with the country’s national security.

“Be that as it may, the AFP will not allow any attempts that would tend to undermine the stability of our government. We will frustrate any efforts that will cause disruption of our democratic way of life,” Arevalo said.

In Bacolod City, Alvarez told a gathering of new members of the PDP-Laban that the opposition is trying to prevent the Duterte administration from fulfilling its campaign promise of change.

Alvarez claimed threats come from “those who cannot accept their defeat.”

“We will not allow them to succeed,” he said. On the administration’s reform agenda, Alvarez said “we will deliver it come hell or high water.”

While admitting he is not aware of any specific plot to oust the President, Alvarez said he and other supporters are prepared to fight it if there is any. “Don’t ever try, we’ll not take it sitting down,” he said.

Alvarez’s pronouncements came on the heels of Duterte’s declaration that “yellow” and “red” forces were plotting to remove him from the presidency. The color yellow is associated with former president Benigno Aquino III while red is the color identified with leftist militants.

Alvarez led the oath taking of new PDP-Laban members, including Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon

Meanwhile, Lorenzana said he is seeking clarification from Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta regarding their objective in organizing the so-called Citizen National Guard (CNG).

“Like you and the others, to include the chief of staff, we just read that on the news and also on TV so we are still trying to find out who they are and what is really their objective,” Lorenzana said of the other personalities behind the CNG.

He said he had intended to get word on the matter from Aguirre at Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, but other matters had kept them busy.

Aguirre and Acosta launched the CNG, the other day, declaring their group would repel any effort to unseat Duterte.

Military insiders, however, have expressed fear the CNG could be another private army in disguise. – With Gilbert Bayoran