Noy aware of oust-JPE plot? Valte doesn’t know

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang is distancing itself from Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s declaration that President Aquino is aware of a coup plot against Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

“I do not have any information as to the basis. I am not saying that he does not have any basis for it,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said when asked if the President is backing alleged ouster moves against Enrile. 

“Trillanes would be in a better position to answer that question,” she added.

Trillanes is an ally of President Aquino. He had served as backchannel negotiator with China over the West Philippine Sea dispute.

He hinted at a forum early this week that the coup plot against the Senate president had the support of the Palace.

Valte reiterated that the administration still has a “good working relationship with the Senate president” despite the latter’s having opposed the Palace-certified Reproductive Health Law and the Sin Tax Reform Law.

“From what we understand, it is the majority of the senators that elect the Senate president,” she said. 

“For one, they are independent. I do not know the basis (of his statement). I have no knowledge nor information as to the basis of the good senator’s statement,” Valte said.

Trillanes and Enrile had traded barbs over the government’s handling of the country’s territorial conflict with China.

Enrile earlier gifted his colleagues with P1.6 million each except Trillanes, Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago and siblings Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano.

He also recalled Senate employees assigned to the offices of Alan Peter and Trillanes and had them transferred to their mother units, saying their contracts had expired on Dec. 6.

The controversy over the “Christmas gift” sparked a word war between Enrile and Santiago, with the latter accusing the Senate president of ethical breach. Asked to comment on the Enrile-Santiago word war, the Palace said it sees no need to intervene even if taxpayers’ money is involved, saying the two senators belong to an independent branch of government.

“They’re fiscally independent so they have their own guidelines for releasing funds,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

“They would have to explain their position. It’s not the President who will explain it.”