DILG chief: Trillanes' ouster plot claims vs. PBBM pure hearsay

MANILA – Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Wednesday dismissed as pure hearsay former senator Antonio Trillanes IV's claims of involvement of ranking police officials in an ouster plot against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

In a media interview at Camp Crame, Quezon City, Abalos said there is "no credible threat" over the issue, noting that ouster plot allegations surface in almost all administrations.

"Alam mo naman mga tsismis (You know, these rumors), it's not a credible threat at all. Talagang as far as we are concerned binabalewala po namin ito (We do not pay attention to these)," Abalos said after he visited the wake of Capt. Rolando Moralde, who was killed in the line of duty in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte.

Abalos said he does not see the need to investigate those police officials as he expressed confidence in their loyalty to their mandate.

"As far as we are concerned wala po sa kapulisan, wala po ito and 100 percent ang talagang supporta sa ating Pangulo ng kapulisan at hindi lamang yun, naka-focus lahat sa trabaho nila bilang pulis (we do not have these among the police ranks. Our police officers are 100 percent supportive of the President. Not only that, they are focused on their duties as police officers)," he said.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said the police force remains loyal to the Constitution and rallies behind Marcos' 'Bagong Pilipinas' vision.

"There is no issue for us na magkaroon ng destabilization, wala pong ganun (to have a destabilization plot. There are no such things). Yung mga pulis natin, kaya nga mas happy sila ngayon (Our police our much happier now), we are providing them with so much help kaya nga walang issue na para lumaban sa gobyerno (that's why there is no issue for them to fight the government). Now, you won't see any demoralization among their ranks)," he said. (PNA)