Malacañang on Tuesday dismissed coup d’etat threats against President Rodrigo Duterte which was allegedly triggered by his decision to abrogate the Philippines’ Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo described as a “pipe dream” the claim of self-exiled communist founder Jose Maria Sison that pro-American military officials are planning to unseat President Duterte.
“That’s wishful thinking. It’s a pipe dream. It will never come to fruition. Filipinos—the majority or overwhelming of [them]—they are supportive of the President,” he said in a Palace briefing.
On Saturday, Sison claimed that Duterte’s decision to terminate the military joint pact between Manila and Washington has “aroused” “quite a number” of AFP officials to kick the President out of Malacañang.