Why the DND is Blaming 'Foreign Actors' for Alleged Plans to Overthrow Marcos Administration

The government of Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. continues to have its hands full following the uncovered anomalous contracts linked to substandard or ghost flood-control structures. The Department of National Defense (DND) is now pointing fingers at unnamed “foreign actors” for rumored coup-related plots against the President after demonstrations of public unrest.

As the everyday Filipino is understandably frustrated with the systematic and large-scale corruption of funds that were intended for better public infrastructure, the DND reports that unknown foreign actors were fanning rumors to overthrow the current administration even as it cracks down on the multibillion-peso flood-control fiasco, one  of the biggest since the pork barrel scam from 10 years ago.

“Foreign-backed quarters are parroting rumors of a military intervention for their own benefit in an attempt to subvert our constitutional processes and hijack the people’s call for accountability and transparency for their own personal political agenda,” according to a statement by the agency. "Only enemies of the state wish us to fail.”

A wave of rumors concerning a coup plot against the President circulated on social media about a month ago right when mass protests that were part of the so-called “trillion-peso march” broke out in Metro Manila.

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The Philippine Navy earlier raised the alarm on displays of public outrage and frustration over corruption, which it said left the country vulnerable to foreign-backed propaganda that could provoke further unrest.

“The public’s clear rejection of any form of military intervention in politics underscores a mature democracy and validates the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ steadfast commitment to remain nonpartisan and focused on defending the nation,” the Defense department said.

Rumored coup plots are nothing new for the country’s top brass as more than a dozen military mutinies have happened since the historic 1986 People Power Revolution that toppled the government of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., Bongbong's father. Former President Corazon Aquino faced several armed rebellions led by groups determined to unseat her during her administrayin. Even former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who is facing his own problems at the Hague, had to deal with several supposed plots to kick him out of Malacañang.

The Dutertes and the Marcoses, who are former political allies, are in the midst of a personal and professional rift, with the former President calling for military action against Marcos saying “troops hold the solution” to a supposed “fractured government." Duterte made the remark right before he was arrested in November last year and brought to the International Criminal Court in the Netherands to be tried for crimes against humanity committed during his deadly anti-illegal drug campaign.

At the start of last year, Defense Chief Gilbert Teodoro. Jr. dismissed similar coup plots against Marcos within the country’s own military, as he said that officers respected the chain of command out of professionalism.

More lawmakers respond to call for transparency, independent body recommends charges vs officials

On October 28, Tuesday, more senators publicized their Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worths (SALNs) following mounting pressure for transparency and accountability mechanisms with the public scrutinizing the lavish lifestyles of the country’s most prominent lawmakers.

Only Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Bato dela Rosa, and Imee Marcos have yet to give the go signal to the Senate secretary to publicize their net worths to the media as of October 29.

For some context, SALNs don’t just let people know how much lawmakers make and what they own, but also possible conflicts of interests, including related business interests and relatives in the government.

The document also allows the Ombudsman and his office to collect from the appropriate government agencies any document that may contain information linked to an official’s net worth and other liabilities.

These disclosures come at the heels of newly-appointed Ombudsman Boying Remulla’s memo that eased restrictions on the public access to these documents as the government tries to show that it is keeping a close eye on lawmakers after alarm bells rang following a several of them being tagged as allegedly fattening their pockets from kickbacks from low quality flood-control infrastructure projects.

Meanwhile, the Marcos administration’s Independent Commission for Infrastructure recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against former and sitting officials including Senators Joel Villanueva, Jinggoy Estrada, former Ako Bicol Party-List Rep. Zaldy Co., Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana, former congresswoman Mary Mitzi Cajayon-Uy, and former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernando.

“With this filing we remain true to our commitment to the Filipino people. No one will be spared in this fight against corruption,” Andres Reyes, who heads the ICI, said in a statement.

These complaints were related to the anomalous flood control contracts and the alleged plunder, bribery, and corruption of public officers.

The tagged lawmakers have “vehemently” denied receiving these kickbacks and benefitting from these fishy flood-control arrangements.

Both chambers of Congress have also seen their own leadership changes in the past few months amid accusations of their leaders being players in this seemingly large-scale syndicate-like kickback scheme.

The first shakeup happened in the Senate, with Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto returning as Senate President, replacing Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero, who was ousted after rumors of his colleagues’ dissatisfaction with the Senate's legislative priorities and former Public Works and Highways engineers linking him to the flood-control contracts.

Former Speaker Martin Romualdez, who is the President’s cousin, also quit his post last month after he and former House Appropriations chairman Zaldy Co were accused of being behind billions of pesos of budget insertions on alleged substandard or fictitious infrastructure programs. Isabel 6th District Rep. Bojie Dy III took over the Speaker mantle following the resignation.

Marcos has said that his cousin and those found responsible would not be spared from facing the consequences associated with the supposed crimes committed. The President had formed the independent commission to delve deep into the irregularities found in dubious flood-control contracts. This all started when he declared war against corrupt officials during his fourth address to Congress as Filipinos still feel threatened from severe flooding that submerges many communities and towns across the nation.

The Southeast Asian nation still faces torrential rains and a perennial vulnerability to severe flooding after weeks of typhoons and southwest monsoon rains that have ravaged the country’s aging drainage system. According to the administration’s latest probe, more than 6,021 of these projects that cost about P350 billion did not specify what type of flood control apparatus or structure needed to be built.

Marcos has also expressed his desire to do away with new flood-control funding next year since there is still about P350 billion of unused funds from this year’s spending plan.

On Tuesday (October 28), Senator Ping Lacson also expressed his desire to broaden the powerful Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s probe on these anomalies to look into abuses allowed by the Public Works department.

“Over time, the DPWH allowed such abuses because they went undetected or unpunished,” the senator, who is awaiting reinstatement as Blue Ribbon chairperson, said in a statement. “In the course of time, this became a lucrative practice."