On the 20th anniversary of Edsa,
attempt to unseat Arroyo thwarted

ARMED forces chief of staff Generoso Senga announced in a television interview shortly before 6 a.m. today that the military had thwarted an attempt by rebel factions within its ranks to "withdraw support" from the government of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Security around Malacañang Palace and military camps in Metro Manila was beefed up in the wee hours of Friday morning in the wake of what the authorities said was  an aborted attempt to force Mrs. Arroyo to step down.

The announcement came almost exactly 20 years after rebel military factions attempted to overthrow the strongman Ferdinand Marcos and were found out, triggering a popular uprising that eventually overthrew the dictator. In the past weeks, Manila has buzzed with rumors of an attempted coup that supposedly involved various military factions. Last night, text messages alleging that the chief of staff and the army chief had joined the revolt made the rounds. The tension reached its peak at past 5 a.m., when Army Chief Hermogenes Esperon confirmed in a TV interview that a coup attempt had been foiled and that he himself had been asked to join.

Not long afterward, Senga told GMA-7  that there was "an attempted withdrawal of support by some misguided elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines," but that those who were part of the attempt were "persuaded not to continue with their plans." He also confirmed that he was invited to join the plot by Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, the chief of the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion in Bulacan. Lim who was a leading member of the Young Officers Union that led the siege of Makati during the attempted coup d’etat against President Corazon Aquino in 1989. He has been put under military custody for his role in today’s destabilization attempt.

Senga assured citizens that the majority of the armed forces did not intend to participate in the move against Mrs. Arroyo. Like Esperon, he confirmed that feelers had been sent to him and other senior officers to join the "withdrawal of support."

Esperon said that rebel soldiers had intended to take part in protest actions marking the 20th anniversary of the people power revolt that were scheduled for today.  Military sources say that the rebels planned to announce their "withdrawal of support" during masses marking the Edsa anniversary this morning. As a result, the police announced this morning that it was withdrawing the permits for the rallies scheduled today.

President Arroyo is in Malacañang, which has been sealed off to the public by several rings of defenses, including container vans that were brought in early this morning. Even journalists were told to leave the Palace grounds.

Former President Joseph Estrada provided a side show, when he refused police orders to leave the San Juan Medical Center where he had been confined since last night for a scheduled eye operation today. Apparently informed that Estrada was supportive of the plot, the police had decided to bring him back to his detention camp in a Tanay, Rizal resthouse. Estrada, however, refused and his son, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, threatened people power to prevent the police from transferring his father from the hospital.