AFP: ‘Red October’ oust-Duterte plot still on

MANILA, Philippines — The conspiracy to oust President Duterte starting Sept. 21 fizzled out, but the plot called “Red October” is still on, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) warned over the weekend.

“There will still be a plan this coming October. They call it Red October. That is the month of international celebrations for communism, Marxism and IP (indigenous peoples),” Brig. Gen. Antonio Parlade, AFP deputy chief of staff for operations, said.

Parlade insisted that the previously reported Sept. 21 plan to oust Duterte was real, if not a prelude or at least aimed at destabilizing his administration.

He said the threat will always be there because Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) leader Jose Maria Sison is the one orchestrating it.

Parlade said the Sept. 21 attempt was unsuccessful, but the plan for next month called “Red October” remains.

He also said that based on recovered documents, the opposition coalition Tindig Pilipinas almost forged an alliance with communist groups spearheading the Sept. 21 plot, but withdrew from it after realizing that communist leaders were behind the move.

Parlade alleged that Tindig Pilipinas, which presents itself as a movement against tyranny, was making plans to oust Duterte and aligning its efforts with opposition groups notably the Liberal Party (LP) headed by Vice President Leni Robredo as well as Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and his Magdalo party.

Robredo, the LP, Trillanes and Magdalo have all denied involvement in any plot to oust Duterte. Trillanes and Magdalo said they could not conspire with communist rebels who continue to kill soldiers.

Parlade claimed the AFP squared up on the issue, making opposition personalities lie low and back out of the alliance for fear of being aligned with communists.

“That’s the good result, Tindig Pilipinas withdrew from the alliance,” he claimed, noting that the group opted out at the last minute on Sept. 19 or 20.

He pointed out that Tindig Pilipinas almost had an alliance with communist leaders as they have common issues against the Duterte administration, like alleged extrajudicial killings, martial law and tyranny.

Asked who is spearheading the plan, Parlade mentioned Sison and the CPP’s central committee, Rey Casambre and Satur Ocampo, “whose plans should be exposed considering that opposition personalities did not know who was behind the moves.”

“Tindig Pilipinas thought it was the usual opposition, but it was not. The CPP is behind the plan. And when they realized it, they withdrew and opted for indoor activities instead,” he said, and that even Bishop Antonio Tagle backed out upon learning of the communist hand.

Parlade said the group had no objections to rallies but was against moves to sabotage the economy and the nation and, ultimately, topple the government.