Retired Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) general and former Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Usec. Eliseo Rio Jr. on Sunday, Nov. 12, denied that his group, the September Twenty One Movement (STORM), is behind the alleged destabilization efforts against President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.
“We are not involved in any destabilization plot. We are not involved in changing anybody who are already seated in our government. Hindi sa amin yun, wala kaming magagawa,” he said in an interview during DZRH Stories: Pinoy Documentaries.
Ret. Gen. Eliseo Rio Jr., Former Usec. DICT, sa involvement sa destabilization: Yung ugong-ugong sa destabilization ay galing mismo sa chief of staff ng AFP. #DZRHStories#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) November 12, 2023
LIVE: https://t.co/gyt5QCBuD3 pic.twitter.com/rRDiR0BQg3
Last Nov. 3, AFP Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner delivered a speech during Western Mindanao Command's change of command ceremony wherein he revealed that there were “destabilization efforts” to oust President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. “for many reasons.”
The following day, Nov. 4, he clarified that there was no "destabilization plot" against the present administration as reported by several media outlets.
“I was taken out of context. I did not mention about the destabilization plot kasi kapag sinabi nating plot ay parang plano na ito at i-execute na. Ang sinabi ko, in my statement, may naririning tayo na destabilization efforts, ayun yung specific word,” Brawner said.
“Alam niyo naman iyon, maraming ganyan. We saw these specifically, during the Sept. 21 rallies, mga rallies na nangyari noong Sept. 21, ito yung nakita natin. During that time, may panawagan sa ating mga sundalo na sumama sa mga rallies na ito. So kaya’t ayun ang konteksto ng sinabi ko kahapon na dapat huwag sumama ang mga rallies na ito. It was a simple at that, wala akong sinabi na destabilization plot,” he added.
Rio said his group STORM rallied last Sept. 21, calling for a “correct at the honest election” and urging the Commission on Election to "answer the alleged anomalies" in the 2022 National and Local Elections.
He added they also rallied to remove electronic voting systems provider Smartmatic and not the President.
“Wala kaming sinasabi na nagpapaalis kami ng kahit na sino [President]. Wala na kaming magagawa doon. We are just plain citizens, hindi kami nagpo-protesta ng election kasi hindi kami kandidato eh. Pero sinasabi lang namin na we have observed irregularities na dapat sagutin ng Comelec and it is in fact, ang aming pinapaalis ay Smartmatic lang,” Rio said.
The former DICT head pointed out that only the poll body and the higher court have the authority to remove any sitting government officials.
Rio claimed that Brawner is “covering up” the former military officers who truly uttered the destabilization efforts.
“Kung sa speech niya mismo, wala siyang binabanggit, except na may nakausap daw siya o may kinakausap siya na general or retired AFP personnel. May kinausap siya nun at hindi kami iyon. Wala sa amin na nag-usap sa chief of staff. Pero identified na meron siyang kinakausap, sini-Sir niya so military din yun at hindi kami 'yon,” he said.
The former DICT head believes that Brawner’s act of covering up the source is “dangerous”.
“Yes, and that’s very dangerous because alam mo kung may plot, at si General Brawner ang nakatunog, siya na mismo ang magsabi, maawa naman tayo sa bayan 'no? He can act on it. Ito na lang, logic, the President BBM, the highest margin of votes in our history, sinong mag-dare ang mag destablize sa nakakuha ng maraming boto?” he furthered.
‘DANGEROUS COVER-UP?’#DZRHStories spoke with Ret. BGen. Eliseo Rio Jr., former DICT head, about the alleged destab efforts of some ex-military officers vs PBBM.
— Edniel Parrosa (@ednielparrosa) November 12, 2023
His group ‘STORM’, a team questioning the credibility of the automated polls, denies involvement in such rumors. pic.twitter.com/nBS0Y4pIXH
