Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chair Jose Maria Sison said the tipping point of President Rodrigo Duterte’s ouster could come “anytime between now and middle of next year,” claiming that the popularity of the Chief Executive was sinking because of the soaring prices of goods.
“The tipping point can come time anytime between now and let’s say middle of next year, probably. That’s a good allowance of exerting efforts in order to oust Duterte,” Sison said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel on Wednesday morning.
Sison, who has led a rebellion against various governments for about 50 years, ascribed Duterte’s sinking popularity to the skyrocketing prices of goods.
The CPP founder’s claim ran contrast with the result of the Social Weather Station survey for the second quarter where 72 percent of Filipinos said they trusted Duterte. The survey came before prices of rice and other basic goods began shooting up and inflation hit 6.4 percent in August.
“There is no ambiguity in the complaints of the people, the hatred of the people for the rise of prices. Most people suffer from the soaring prices and this is the manifestation of the mishandling of the economy and the aggravation of the economic crisis. I think Duterte is finished politically,” he added.
Sison said Duterte would be lucky if he survived politically until the middle of 2019.
“I would say he’s lucky if he survives politically 2018 and he will be luckier if he would survive politically at the middle of next year,” Sison said.
Admitting that the CPP wanted to oust Duterte, Sison reiterated that there were “no formal talks” between the CPP, the Magdalo group of Senator Antonio Trillanes and the Liberal Party (LP) regarding plots to oust Duterte.
Earlier, Duterte accused the CPP, Magdalo and LP of working together to oust him.
“It’s not true that the Communist Party of the Philippines has a conspiracy with the Magdalo group. There is no discussion of any kind. There are no formal talks of any kind with any leader of Magdalo concerning the ouster of Duterte,” Sison said.