By Ellson Quismorio
It's like "Red October" accusation all over again.
Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna Party list Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN)
Bayan Muna Party-List Rep. Carlos Zarate said the effort to link their organization to an alleged ouster plot against President Rodrigo Duterte was no different from last year’s supposed Red October plot which the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) "concocted”.
More importantly, the plan was later proven fake, the Davao-based congressman pointed out.
"Parang silang mga sirang plaka na paulit-ulit ng kasinungalingan. Palagi na kasing nabubulgar ang kalokohan ng AFP, PNP at mismong Duterte administration kaya gigil na gigil sila na idawit sa mga ganito ang kanilang mga kritiko," said Zarate.
(They sound like broken records with their repeated lies. The shenanigans of the AFP, PNP and the Duterte administration itself are often exposed that's why they are always eager to implicate their critics.)
Zarate, a lawyer, claimed that the government has been employing a "coordinated pattern of attacks" against it critics ahead of the May 13 midterm polls.
"One can also see the coordinated pattern of attacks that they are doing now against the opposition before the elections to camouflage and justify the dirty operations they plan to do during election day itself," he said.
Meanwhile, Bayan Muna chairman and senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares described the latest ouster allegation as "so absurd and laughable" and "intended to sow fear among journalists and lawyers."
"The wild allegations linking me to a supposed plot involving Bikoy and members of the media is utterly false and ridiculous. In fact, I was too busy campaigning that I was only able to watch the first Bikoy episode,” said Colmenares.
The former Bayan Muna congressman was referring to viral videos of a man named "Bikoy," an alleged former member of a drug syndicate who has been implicating the Duterte family in the illegal drug trade.
"How can I help orchestrate a plot based on videos most of which I have not even watched? Ganun naman palagi ang gobyerno. Pag opposition pinag-iinitan at nile-label na komunista o destabilizer dahil nailalabas namin ang kurapsyon at mga kamalian ng gobyerno," Colmenares said.
(The government is always like that. Those in the opposition are harassed are labeled communists or destabilizers because we've been able to expose the corruption and wrongdoings of government.)
Bayan Muna is part of the militant Makabayan Bloc, which holds seven seats in the House of Representatives. They were one time allies of the Duterte administration.