President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday declared a "state of emergency" after the military allegedly crushed an attempt by mutinous soldiers and policemen to take over the government. The President made the decision after hours of closed-door consultations with her top security officials. "Mga kababayan, nagdeklara ako ng state of emergency dahil sa maliwanag at kasalukuyang banta sa republika na ating napag-alaman at napigil. May ilang sumubok lumihis sa Armed Forces chain of command, lumabag sa gobyernong sibil at magtatag ng rehimen sa labas ng saligang batas," the President said in her statement. Arroyo warned destabilizers that they would be dealt with the full force of the law. "Ito naman ang babala ko: sa mga nagbabalak laban sa bayan. Babagsak sa inyong pagtataksil ang buong bigat ng batas," she said. Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the President signed Proclamation No. 1017 formally announcing the declaration of the state of emergency. Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor said law enforcers may now implement warrantless arrests. DISPERSAL Police started dispersing protesters who converged at EDSA Shrine to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first People Power revolt at about the same time the President announced the declaration of the state of emergency. Former vice-president Teofisto Guingona joined protesters at the shrine and spoke before the crowd. Anti-riot police used water cannons to disperse the crowd, triggering panic among the protesters who later regrouped in a nearby street. Another groups of demonstrators from Quezon City started marching to EDSA Shrine as of posting time. PLOT DISCOVERED The military earlier restricted a commander of an elite Army unit and placed under investigation a Marine colonel for their alleged involvement in the coup plot. General Generoso Senga, AFP chief of staff, relieved Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, commander of the First Scout Ranger Regiment. Colonel Ariel Querubin denied taking part in the coup. Senga said Querubin and Lim were reportedly planning to join anti-government demonstrations. The Philippine National Police earlier arrested Chief Supt. Bong Franco, commander of the PNP's Special Action Force. Franco is currently under the custody of PNP chief Director General Arturo Lomibao. Lim and Querubin were among the founders of the Young Officers Union (YOU) that mounted a series of failed coups in the late 1980s against then president Corazon Aquino. Former senator Gregorio Honasan, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who mounted military revolts against the Aquino government, reportedly served as Lim’s mentor during the earlier years of YOU. "We have reduced the threat," said Senga following the arrests. 'MISGUIDED' Brig. Gen. Jaime Buenaflor, AFP Civil Relations Service chief, said Lim and Querubin were "misguided" for "withdrawing their support" from the chain of command. "[The] misguided officers from the AFP were relieved from their post 10 p.m. Thursday and are now undergoing investigation," said Buenaflor. Senga, meanwhile, said the two military officials were "misguided elements who were planning to join protest rallies." The Armed Forces chief said he called military commanders early Friday and reminded them that they "will abide strictly with the chain of command." "There will be no withdrawal [of support to the President]. We remain steadfast in adhering to the Constitution," Senga said. Security around the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo and at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio have been tightened. Buenaflor said military field commanders and the major services have "expressed their solid support behind the AFP's commander in chief, the chain of command and the Constitution." -GMANews.TV
GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
