THE intelligence community is verifying information from former senator Juan Ponce Enrile that there are groups in the US and the Philippines out “to cause serious embarrassment and trouble” for President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said yesterday.
Enrile, in a post on his Facebook page on Wednesday, described the information he received as “credible” and suggested that national security officials of the incoming administration “sharpen their intelligence information” instead of making “soft and pacific statements seemingly intended to quiet and to gain the cooperation, trust, and confidence of the habitual trouble makers in this country.”
“Caution is the name of the game,” Enrile also said adding he would provide details to officials of the Marcos administration in due time.
Año, in a briefing in Camp Crame, said, “We are validating the information. The intelligence community is into it, not only the plan to embarrass but also the big event, the inauguration (of Marcos on June 30).”
“We will not allow any group to conduct any nefarious activities, much more to discredit the incoming administration and we will do it all within the legal bound of the law,” said Año.
Año surmised the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People Army (CPP-NPA) is one of the groups out to embarrass the incoming president.
“This leftist group, from the start, whoever will sit as President, they always do that,” he said.
He said the government, including the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, “is prepared for that.”
As to the June 30 inauguration at the National Museum of the Philippines in Manila, Año said the DILG and the PNP are prepared for the event, noting that outgoing and incoming government officials will be present.
“We have made a lot of preparations for that. We will make sure no threat groups and sinister plans will be carried out during the inauguration day,” said Año.
Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia, PNP deputy chief for administration, said agencies involved in the security preparations continue to conduct coordination meetings.
“In particular the MPD (Manila Police District) is coordinating with the Office of the President and at the same time they are doing simulation exercises,” he said. “We also have security preparations in nearby areas barangays.”
PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo said the PNP would not allow protests near the inauguration site on June 30, and during the inauguration of Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio in Davao City on June 19.
“That’s part of the preparations that we are doing, the anticipated protests. Definitely, we are not going to allow them to be near the events, both in Davao City and National Museum (in Manila),” said Fajardo.
Since the PNP recognizes the right of people to air their grievances, Fajardo said protesters will be allowed to hold activities at freedom parks in Manila and in Davao City.
