Thread: Duterte claims he faces a coup 'because tempers are rising in the military'

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has "very reliable" information that there is a genuine risk of a military coup to oust him from power, according to his spokesperson, and that he could use martial law or the declaration of a revolutionary government to solve the country's problems.


Salvador Panelo, who is also Duterte's chief legal counsel, made the remarks in explaining a speech given by the president on Monday in which he called on Filipino politicians to revise the constitution to protect his leadership from the military, The Manila Times reported.

Duterte purportedly fears that the Filipino military will act on its constitutional role as protector of the
people to forcibly remove him from office over the country's myriad problems, including official corruption, the brutal war on drugs, and terrorism.

According to CNN Philippines, Duterte said during his speech to new government officials taking an oath that if politicians "want to change the constitution, do it now. I'm still here…because tempers are rising in the military."

On Tuesday, Panelo told reporters that Duterte "can impose martial law, declare a revolutionary government, he can use other emergency powers," to tackle the country's problems, but that the military may soon grow frustrated if the situation worsens.

"I think it's a fair warning to all… If they get angry, they might stage a coup… He has very reliable information," Panelo said, The Manila Times reported. "Any coup attempt against President Duterte will certainly fail. It will not get the support of a critical mass of people who remain overwhelmingly supportive of PRRD [President Rodrigo Roa Duterte] and his administration."

Armed Forces of the Philippines Spokesperson Edgar Arevalo told CNN that the military "shall remain loyal to the flag, to the constitution, and to the Filipino people," playing down Duterte's talk of a coup.


Earlier this week, Duterte called on the U.S. to declare war on China over the territorial disputes in the South China Sea by deploying the U.S. 7th Fleet—some 70 to 80 ships and submarines—to the area, forcing Beijing from the waters.

"I have a proposal," Duterte said, according to Business Insider. "If America wants China to leave, and I can't make them… I want the whole 7th Fleet of the armed forces of the United States of America there.

"When they enter the South China Sea, I will enter," he said. "I will ride with the American who goes there first. Then I will tell the Americans, 'Okay, let's bomb everything.'"

Last week in another speech, Duterte accused the U.S. of "pushing us, egging us" towards war with Beijing, "making me the bait," according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

"What do you think Filipinos are, earthworms?" Duterte said. "Now, I say, you bring your planes, your boats to South China Sea. Fire the first shot, and we are just here behind you. Go ahead, let's fight."

Manila and Beijing have clashed recently over the sinking by a Chinese ship of a Filipino fishing vessel in the South China Sea, with its 22 crew needing to be rescued from the water by a passing Vietnamese ship.

https://www.newsweek.com/duterte-philippines-military-coup-martial-law-1448494

The man is insane.

Yes he makes our orange haired friend look quite stable in comparison.

Pac man nuff said.

Seems the fellow in the P.I. has taken a page from the Turkish autocrat's playbook.

Originally Posted by GracelessFawn

The man is insane.

Insane and powerful (in the country).
A dangerous combination.

he may be a little forthright, distasteful even, but reading my opinions into his speech ref the yanks in the china sea, i think he has then bang to rights.. he understands the yanks are manipulating everyone. hence not so dumb.

He can be "not so dumb" and "insane" at the same time.

He issued Executive Order No. 70.....

He's totally friggin nuts- but the pinoys I met seemed to like him. They also said Marcos wasn't so bad really, even if they were born after the people power thang.
I suppose when we compare and contrast political power clans in the Fils, we proceed from a low base. Marcos family is coming back again, you know?

Originally Posted by GracelessFawn

He issued Executive Order No. 70.....

Number 70 , that's a Chinese Chicken Curry

The last real Pinoy involved in Fil high politcs was Magsaysay.

@Sabang - yes, the Marcos family members are syepping into high gear again. Oh how people forget...

They now have the 3rd generation involved in politics - one of Imee Marcos' kids is a local politician now. Imee is the daughter of Ferdinand & Imelda - she's a senator now. (ugh!) The fact that Imee's kids, as well as Bongbong's, are relatively good looking, help them win votes, especially among millenials & Gen Z, which are large voting blocks, since PI has a young population.

A friend of mine who's a professor of Social Sciences said that they conducted an informal survey among their students (university). Bongbonh Marcos (son of Ferdie & Imelda) led the poll in the informal survey. Oh well...

I think among Gen X and older, they are against Marcos, especially the educated ones. But if the recent survey is an indicator, then the younger ones (Gen Y/ millenials and Gen Z, those born around 2000) favor the Marcoses.

Oh well...

Sorry for typos. I'm in a bus in the province, it's bumpy and signal isn't too good.