Lacson cites ‘coordinated, calibrated’ moves to overthrow gov’t
The release of resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co’s videos on top of the text messages urging Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson to join a junta in the run-up to the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) rally seem to be part of “coordinated, orchestrated and calibrated” moves to overthrow the government, Lacson said on Monday.
Lacson noted that Co released the three-part video series accusing President Marcos of ordering the insertion of P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 national budget days before the INC mounted a rally for transparency in Manila on Nov. 16 and Nov. 17.
In that rally, the President’s sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, alleged that Mr. Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and their son, Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, were using drugs. The first family, however, dismissed the allegations. A pro-Duterte group calling for the President’s resignation then tried to join the rally, but was shooed away.
Lacson said he began receiving text messages from retired military and police officials egging him to join a civilian-military junta during the two-day INC rally following Co’s allegations. He added that he rejected the overtures, which he called unconstitutional.
“That’s why I said that if I were the one to analyze all these, it seems calibrated. Those events seem to have happened one after another. It looks coordinated, orchestrated, and carefully planned,’’ he said in an interview.
The senator said partisan groups were behind moves to oust the President, without going into specifics. He said some groups were calling for a “total reset” that seeks the replacement of both the President and Vice President, minus the constitutional line of succession. “It’s unconstitutional,” he said.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, for his part, warned Filipinos that the country could turn into a “banana republic” if mob rule and military adventurism succeed. “The rule of law and due process are the best policies for the long game to real progress,” said Sotto, who is third in the order of presidential succession. —WITH A REPORT FROM CHARIE ABARCA
