Adviser says admin allies 'conspiring' vs. Duterte

An adviser to President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday accused several allies of the administration of "conspiring" against the President.

Though he did not mention any names, Butch Belgica of Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) said these individuals had "undermined" Duterte.

"Kinalimutan na nila sino ang tumulong sa kanila. They undermined him, hindi siya kinonsulta. Sana kinausap man lang ang Pangulo," Belgica said at a press conference.

One of these individuals, Belgica said, was helped by Duterte regarding his father's burial while one was released from detention during Duterte's term in office.

"They are conspiring [against] their very benefactor. Hindi naman natin sila kalaban (They are not our enemies)," Belgica said.

Belgica made the claim a day after Lakas-CMD, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) forged an alliance for the 2022 elections, calling their coalition UniTeam.

"The greed for power played. They are not able to overcome it," Belgica said. "That's human nature, they forget everything for their own aggrandizement."

PFP's standard bearer is former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. whose father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, was finally allowed to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in 2016 with Duterte's blessing.

PMP president and former senator Jinggoy Estrada, who has a pending plunder case in connection with the pork barrel scam, was allowed to post bail by the Sandiganbayan in September 2017.

Duterte's daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, is Marcos' running-mate. She chairs Lakas-CMD.

Despite the four-party alliance, Belgica said UniTeam is no threat to PDDS.

"Wala ho 'yan, pag binilang niyo, 300,000 lang yan. Maiingay lang [That is nothing. If you count them, they are just at 300,000. They are just noisy]," he said.

Lakas-CMD party on Saturday said it has "full support" for President Duterte and his administration.

"Mr. Butch Belgica of PDDS equates years of public service by former Presidents as greed for power. He might be speaking based on his own experience. Baka iyon lang po kasi ang nagtutulak kay Mr. Belgica para pumasok sa gobyerno. (Maybe that is what pushes Mr. Belgica to enter government service.) Greed," Lakas-CMD said.

"Mr. Belgica should stop sowing intrigues that divide forces loyal to the President. Itigil na po niya ang maruming pulitika (He should stop dirty politics)," it added.after an adviser of the Chief Executive made the allegation that several allies were "conspiring" against him.

GMA News Online has reached out to the camp of Bongbong Marcos for their comments but they have yet to respond as of posting time.  —KBK/KG, GMA News