By MARTIN A. SADONGDONG
PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said yesterday that he has no knowledge, at least so far, of the alleged assassination plot by the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) against President Duterte.
Albayalde, however, said extreme preparations should always be observed and implemented by the close-in security of Duterte despite the lack of intelligence information on the alleged CIA plot.
“With regards to, probably specific [threat], ‘yung CIA, we really don’t have information as far as the PNP is concerned,” said Albayalde in an interview on CNN’s “The Source.”
Albayalde’s statement came following the pronouncement of Duterte that the CIA could be eavesdropping on his phone conversations to map out a possible assassination plot against him.
“But I know that they – ang nakikinig sa akin is United States, sigurado ‘yan ang CIA. Iyan ang papatay sa akin, ‘yang mga u*** na ‘yan eh,” said Duterte in a speech in Cebu Tuesday.
Duterte added that other countries such as Russia, China, Israel and Indonesia could also be spying on him.
For his part, Albayalde said Duterte has valid reasons to suspect that there is a threat on his life since he holds the highest government position in the country.
“[I]f you’re a President, there’s always a threat on your life. Automatic ‘yun. There’s always that assumption na palaging may threat sa buhay mo. That’s very important so that you can prepare for the security,” he added.
It was not the first time that Duterte raised the possibility of an ouster plot against him through an assassination of the CIA.
In April 2018, Duterte said that the CIA “should be the one to blame” if in case the plane he is riding on explodes and he gets killed. In October 2017, he also claimed he received reports that the CIA is planning to kill him.
The allegations of Duterte has repeatedly been denied by the United States.
US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim said: “There is no absolutely no effort by the CIA to undermine the Philippines leadership.”
