Thousands of Filipinos Rally Against State of Emergency

[Judi Lynn]

Thousands of Filipinos Rally Against State of Emergency
Protesters defy a ban on public rallies declared by President Arroyo, who said a coup plot by military officers had been squelched.
By Richard C. Paddock, Times Staff Writer
February 25 2006


MANILA — Thousands of Filipinos took to the streets in protest Friday, hours after beleaguered President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared a nationwide state of emergency and banned public rallies.

Arroyo also ordered the arrest of military officers who were allegedly plotting a coup to oust her on the eve of a commemoration today of the "people power" protests that forced President Ferdinand Marcos to step down 20 years ago.

Former President Corazon Aquino, an icon of the 1986 protests and a successor to Marcos, led a march of more than 5,000 people through Manila's Makati financial district Friday afternoon and called on Arroyo to "make the supreme sacrifice" and step down.

Aquino, once a close ally, turned against Arroyo last year after revelations that she had sought to rig the 2004 election. Arroyo survived impeachment in September despite the release of a tape-recorded telephone conversation in which she appeared to direct a top election official to make sure that she won by a million votes.
(snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-philcoup25feb25,1,6395290.story?coll=la-news-a_section

[Minstrel Boy]

1. Raid on paper critical of Arroyo

MANILA, Philippines (AP -- Police on Saturday raided the office of a newspaper critical of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo after she declared a state of emergency to quell a coup plot.

Police entered the offices of The Daily Tribune and confiscated editorial materials and a bundle of newspapers headlining Arroyo's declaration on Friday. After the overnight raid, they posted police at the door, but it was unclear if they planned to close the newspaper, publisher Ninez Cacho Olivarez said.

"We were raided. They apparently came without any search warrant," said Olivarez, who was not at the office at the time of the raid.

Under the state of emergency, Arroyo has the power to take over media facilities whose operations are deemed a risk to national security, according to Mike Defensor, the presidential chief of staff,

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/02/24/philippines.raid.ap/

[Judi Lynn]

2. Good grief! That's one for the books. Fascinating.

Can she keep office after this smooth move? I'll bet she will, and with _Bush's blessings.

[tom_paine]

3. The rise of evil around the world continues: BushPutinism triumphant

Well, hopefully NOT triumphant, but it doesn't look good.

Go Filipinos! Show Amerikan Subjects a bright beacon of freedom and take back your country!

We gaze from afar with hope for your cause against BushPutinism in it's many forms.

[cliss]

4. Crap...the Philippines...

Dublin, Iraq is sliding into Civil War. Afghanistan.. Saudi Arabia...

If I were George Bush, I'd wipe that stupid smile off his face. Things are getting dangerous, and he sits there with a glass of booze.