FORMER president Rodrigo Duterte said he has no idea how he got linked to a supposed destabilization plot against the administration, but he said he did meet with retired generals.
Duterte discussed with them the dangers of corruption, which he said the President has to stop because it could bring the government “down the drain,” as abogado.ph reported.
Duterte made the statements at the Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa talk show, where je was asked about claims that he was involved in the attempt to launch a coup d’etat because the International Criminal Court is going after him.
“I really do not know how I was dragged into this, but you know, as a former employee of government, I remember talking to some of the retired generals,” he said.
He told them that there should be no serious issue of corruption involving the government.
“Sabi ko, what would bring the government down the drain is pag malaman ng tao na ang pera nila ginagastos mo para sa sarili mo. That was about what I told the military, and as a former president, and mga retired generals, maybe they have quoted me,” he said.
“Pero sabi ko nga, bring it out in the open. We may talk about coup d’etat or changing government by force, you talk about it openly, Para walang duda,” he added.
But he also does not think there is a major corruption problem right now that would be enough to create turmoil.
He said he would not call President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. corrupt, but he could not make a categorical statement about the others.
Duterte also said Marcos should know the weak points in government prone to corruption and concentrate on these. He could give orders to put a stop to such activities, he added.
Historically, a coup d’etat or violent overthrow of government happens because of rampant corruption and uncontrolled abuse of authority, he said.
