MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated on Friday that he has not received any reports indicating active senior officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are planning to remove him from power.
This statement came after former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV cautioned about a brewing destabilization plot allegedly being orchestrated by police officials.
Addressing reporters in General Santos City, the President remarked, “We don’t have any report of (a coup) within the (PNP) ranks.”
However, he acknowledged, “Perhaps there could be some movement among retired police officers, participating in the alleged destabilization effort.”
Marcos dismissed the notion of conducting a loyalty check for PNP members. “I don’t understand what is meant by a loyalty check. What do you ask people during these checks? Will you inquire, ‘Are you loyal to me?’ Naturally, they would respond, ‘yes,’ even if they aren’t loyal. But we will scrutinize their records,” he explained.
The President emphasized that it was irrelevant whether police officers had voted for him in 2022 as long as they remained dedicated professionals. “For me, even if I didn’t receive your vote, it’s acceptable as long as you fulfill your duties properly and professionally,” he affirmed.
“Simply do your job well. That’s all I ask of our police and armed forces,” he reiterated.
During a media briefing on Tuesday, Trillanes claimed that senior police officers have been actively recruiting members for the purported destabilization plot.
(Filed by el Amigo/mnm)
