Marcos: No reports of 'destab plot' among active police officers

MANILA, Philippines —  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said he is not aware of any plans to remove him from office involving active police officials amid allegations of another ouster plot being hatched against his administration. 

In an interview with reporters in General Santos City, the president said that there may be some retired police officials joining the alleged "destabilization plot" against him, but he sees no need to conduct a "loyalty check" among current police personnel.

"Sa ating mga kapulisan at siyempre lalo na sa officer corps, wala naman tayong nakikitang ganun na namumulitika ang mga police (But in the police service, especially the officer corps, we don't see any politicking)," Marcos said.

The president downplayed the need to assess the loyalty of current police personnel, saying that they should just focus on doing their jobs. 

"Ang loyalty check... Hindi ko alam kung ano 'yung loyalty check e. Anong sasabihin mo sa tao, 'Loyal ka ba sa'kin?' Syempre oo ang sagot noon 'di ba, kahit hindi s'ya loyal sayo," Marcos said, adding that the "records" of police personnel will be checked instead. 

(On the loyalty check... I don't know what a loyalty check is. What do you say to the person, 'Are you loyal to me?' Of course the answer will be yes, even if they are not loyal to you.)

"Ang ano ko naman, kahit hindi mo ako binoto, okay lang saakin, basta maging professional ka at gawin mo ang trabaho mo nang tama. Yan lang ang hinihiling ko sa mga pulis at lahat ng armed forces," the president added. 

(Even if you did not vote for me, it's okay as long as you're a professional. Just do your job right. That is the only thing I wish from the police and the armed forces.)

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday dared former senator Antonio Trillanes IV to show evidence to back his claim that two senior police officials were planning to remove Marcos from office.

In 2023, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said that he heard of plans to "destabilize" the Marcos administration among retired military officers, but later took back the statement and said his words were "taken out of context."