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December 12, 2000, ABS-CBN, 7:52 PM, Palace snubs junta gov't plot,

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December 12, 2000, ABS-CBN, 7:52 PM, Palace snubs junta gov't plot,

MALACAÑANG, (ABS-CBN) - The Palace has shrugged off the proliferation of the document dubbed "God Save the King Part 2", citing a disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the government as its motive.

The document sent to various media entities contains details of the plan to form a junta government in suppressing further unrest in the event President Joseph Estrada gets acquitted in the impeachment trial.

In a radio interview with DzMM, Press secretary Ricardo Puno denied the credibility of the document as the 'letterhead' used itself is fake. 

"Hindi ko na sana papatulan yan dahil obvious na peke yan. Unang-una kung OPS (Office of the Press Secretary) nga ang ginamit doon sa first page bakit naman gagamitin natin ulit yung sa OPS stationary sa page 2? [I would not have like to bother on it because it is obviously fake. Firstly, if it was the OPS letterhead used in the first page then why use it again in the second page?]" Puno said.

Like the earlier "God Save the King Part 1" which surfaced last month, the three-page document bears the heading "Office of the Press Secretary".

Puno added his office would not normally send out three-page memoranda using the OPS stationary letterhead in only two pages, and not on the third one. All except the third page in the document reportedly carried the OPS heading.

"Hindi naman namin gawain yung ganyang klaseng mga memorandum. That is unusual, kung ilalagay mo man sa isa dapat ilalagay sa lahat o kung hindi sa first page lang pagkatapos sa next pages wala [That is not how we normally send out memorandum. That is unusual, if you use the letterhead for one page, then use it for all, or if not, use it for the first page and not for the following pages], " Puno remarked.

Furthermore, Puno stressed its office is not an enforcement agency which holds direct association with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, thus it has nothing to do with the plan of instituting a junta government.

"Actually, hindi lang Public Information Project ang nakalagay diyan, may kinalaman pa sa mga di umano ay Junta. Eh, hindi naman kami enforcement agency. Wala kaming kaugnayan sa AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) or sa PNP (Philippine National Police). Wala kaming basis na gumagawa ng ganyang klaseng mga program assuming na correct man yan," Puno said.

[Actually, it's not just Public Information Project that was indicated in there (document), it has something to do with junta thing. We are an enforcement agency and we don't have any direct relationship with the Armed Forces of the Philippines of the Philippine National Police. Hence, we don't have any basis in doing that kind of program, assuming that (document) is right.]

"So sabi ko talagang desperado ang gumagawa ng mga disinformation na ito [So, I say, anyone who has done such disinformation is desperate]," Puno remarked.

Puno Jr. further described the plot as a figment of one's imagination.

Agriculture secretary Edgardo Angara, on the other hand, said the government could not even think of establishing a junta as it has been into very bad experiences with it.

"Yan ang masamang mangyari sa atin. Ang karanasan natin sa junta at ng ibang bansa tulad ng Burma, napakasama. Maa-isolate tayo sa buong mundo (This is bad thing if this should happen to us. Experience has shown that juntas yield nothing good, as shown by countries such as Burma. A junta will only isolate us from the rest of the world)," he said.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director Panfilo Lacson dismissed allegations he is involved in the establishment of a police-military junta, saying he will not benefit from it.

"Hindi ko alam kung paano makikinabang at saka talagang hindi totoo mahirap mag-discuss ng something na hindi talaga totoo at hindi nag-e-exist. [I don't know how I would benefit from it. It is not true. It is hard to discuss something which is not at all true and never exists]," Lacson said.

The PNP chief also denied receiving a copy of the confidential report. 

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. also denied any involvement in the so-called civilian military junta as he is not willing to risk himself in a process that would circumvent the Constitution.

The document reportedly describes a scenario happening soon after the conclusion of the impeachment trial appointing Pimentel to serve as acting President of the country.

Pimentel said he will not allow himself to assume the country's top post through a way that is unconstitutional.

The Senate President further expressed confidence the Filipino people would accept calmly whatever result the Senate brings on the impeachment trial against the President.

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on Dec 21, 12