Former Pangasinan Gov. Oscar Orbos today laughed off reports that he had asked Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Generoso Senga to withdraw his support from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as part of the effort to stage a coup attempt last month.

“Allegedly, I talked to General Senga. Then, maybe they should ask General Senga. I have not talked to any general or to any active member so maybe, they should ask him, not me,” said Orbos, who was in Dagupan City as guest speaker of the E-Best Economic Forum.

An Inquirer report yesterday (March 12) quoted a former Arroyo official as saying Orbos and former Executive Secretary Renato De Villa “talked” to Senga about withdrawing support from Ms. Arroyo.

“I have not talked to any general or to any active member so maybe, they should ask him, not me. I have not talked to General Senga,” Orbos said.


Orbos also denied he was invited to be a member of a transition council that would have replaced the government of President Arroyo if the coup attempt succeeded last February.

“Sino ba ang mga nag-iikot niyan, siguro sila ang dapat interbyuhin, hindi ako (Who are circulating that? Maybe, they should be the ones to be interviewed, not me.) I don’t know the premises for the invitation (to be a member of the transition council), if it was some invitation,” Orbos added.

Excerpts from the interview:

Well, I have been informed, I saw the report today, just today, because I was here since yesterday because of some engagements. Ang ano ko diyan is, sino ba ang mga nag-iikot niyan, siguro sila ang dapat interbyuhin, hindi ako. I don’t know the premises for the invitation, if it was some invitation. Number 2, apparently, meron daw sinabi yata sa report na allegedly, I talked to (AFP Chief of Staff) General (Generoso) Senga. Then, maybe they should ask General Senga. I have not talked to any general or to any active member so maybe, they should ask him, not me. I have not talked to General Senga. I have not talked to active officers regarding transition council.

What has happened in the past are actually open discussions as to certain options and alternatives and besides, of course, may mga seminars, speaking engagements. So, meron doong mag-reresign, meron doong takeover, mayroong snap elections and one of the options being considered is to set up a transition council.

Now, it’s not something that should happen because may mga requirements iyan. Magulo ba, etc, etc.? We don’t know. But these are options that were discussed openly before. Now, as to my being invited, I don’t know, why don’t you ask those who invited me? Siguro, baka puwede rin nilang imbitahan si Manny Pacquiao…

I think what’s important is there’s a clear concern of many sectors. Hindi lang ang military, but all sectors, has their solution to a problem. And there’s always that concern …(unintelligible)… kung ito po ay isang bagay that should concern all of us and we should contribute to finding a solution. So, yon lang ang akin….

How would you react to that… after being invited to a certain party? How would you react? I suppose maybe we should ask those people who are inviting…..

Sa (UP) public ad, sa Ateneo, sa La Salle…these are symposia, and student activities and also private group discussions… instead of magre-resign si Noli, o kaya may snap na mangyayari, and some talk about transition structure, where lahat ay pag-uusapan, anong dapat gagawin, i-reporma ang burukrasya, how things are, and then maglalagay ng group that will review the Constitution… these are being talked about openly. So, walang …

I don’t know why they would invite me or why I would be asked to… anong sabi mo?… to take over? (Laughs.)


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