Military and police on red alert for coup d'etat

Manila: President Gloria Arroyo cancelled her trip to Bicol, in southern Luzon, following the escape from a military prison of four junior officers who led a failed rebellion against her in 2003.

"There were reported assassination attempts on the president," said the Presidential Security Group (PSG). It did not add if the attempts came from the escapees or other disgruntled young military officers.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) raised alert levels as rumours of an impending coup rose.

Top military leaders vowed their loyalty to President Arroyo as they called for loyalty check within their ranks, a source said.

The PNP established checkpoints at various parts of Metro Manila, up to central and southern Luzon.

"Roadblocks were also established at places where the mutineers might have gone," said National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Vidal Querol.

Brig. Gen. Ruben Rafael, camp commander of the Philippine Army, was sacked and placed under investigation, said Army spokesperson Maj. Bartolome Bacarro.

Rafael's post will be temporarily taken over by his deputy, Col. Romeo Fajardo.

Jail guards in Fort Bonifacio were also rotated. Army chief Lt. Gen. Hermoegenes Esperon started a manhunt for the four escapees.

Negotiation

He also called for the investigation of Ruel Pulido, a lawyer of the mutineers, who negotiated earlier against the transfer of the young officers to another building inside Fort Bonifacio. Army Inspector General, Maj. Gen. Ferdinand Bocobo started investigating the detention centre where the jailbreak occurred.

It was a former school building and was haphazardly turned into a detention centre after 300 young officers were brought back to the barracks, following a brief takeover of the Oakwood Hotel in Makati in July 2003.

"It was not originally meant to be a detention centre. It is not fully secured," said an officer on condition of anonymity. Noting the impact of the jailbreak, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said, "There are confluence of events that can very well lead to a coup d'etat."

"We have to find out whether there was connivance on the part of the military," he said, adding, "In all probability, there could be connivance by those inside the jail and some people outside who found common cause with the detained mutineers."

He did not say if the opposition was behind the jailbreak. It occurred at a time when those against Arroyo who was accused of alleged election fraud in 2004, revived calls for her ouster.

United stand

Members of the ruling Lakas recently took a united stand in allowing Arroyo to remain as president until 2010, following Charter change which would pave the way for a transition from a presidential to parliamentary form of government.

Earlier, intelligence reports said that the former mutineers have been hatching a plan to escape. The four who escaped, identified as Capt. Nathaniel Rabonza and First Lieutenants Sonny Sarmiento, Patricio Bumindang Jr., and Lawrence San Juan, were scheduled for solitary confinement, a source told Gulf News.

One of them, San Juan, had escaped last year but was brought back again.

"Definitely, something has to be done to stop this from happening again," said the executive secretary.

Manila Opposition senator Panfilo Lacson said that the only option to oust President Gloria Arroyo now is through a coup d'etat, adding that people power and constitutional means such as impeachment failed to work for the opposition.

"A coup d'etat is the last alternative to oust President Arroyo since the people are no longer keen on joining a peaceful revolt to remove her from power," said Lacson, a former head of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

"If the faction of the military and the police that were not involved in election fraud in 2004 become united, that's when a coup d'etat might happen [or succeed]," Lacson said.

He also added, "As of now, I don't see that on the horizon, but who knows, who can predict the future now?"

Coup d?etat last option to oust Arroyo, says opposition senator

Manila: Opposition senator Panfilo Lacson said that the only option to oust President Gloria Arroyo now is through a coup d?etat, adding that people power and constitutional means such as impeachment failed to work for the opposition.

"A coup d'etat is the last alternative to oust President Arroyo since the people are no longer keen on joining a peaceful revolt to remove her from power,? said Lacson, a former head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the time of former President Joseph Estrada.

"If the faction of the military and the police that were not involved in election fraud in 2004 become united, that?s when a coup d?etat might happen (or succeed),? Lacson said.

He also added, "As of now, I don?t see that on the horizon, but who knows, who can predict the future now??

"A military option is also an implementation of `the Constitutional provision that the military is the protector of the State and of the people," Lacson explained.

"Whether or not the military will resort to this option is anybody's guess,? added Lacson, "Filipino people no longer want to go to the streets. I think they no longer believe in the end-result of people power as symbolized by Arroyo,? said Lacson.

"Thus, President Gloria Arroyo has been the best antidote to people power,? assessed Lacson.

Arroyo took over after the ouster of former President Joseph Estrada through a people power in 2001.

A survey done by the Ibon Foundation said that four of 10 Filipinos do not want to join street protests against Arroyo.