Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared a state of emergency yesterday, hours after senior military officials said they had foiled a coup attempt - the 12th since the late President Ferdinand Marcos fled from office 20 years ago today.
In a televised address, the president said: "Some [officers] attempted to break the armed forces chain of command, undermine the civilian government and establish an unconstitutional regime."
She signed a proclamation commanding the armed forces to "maintain law and order throughout the Philippines, prevent or suppress all forms of lawless violence and any act of insurrection or rebellion".
Mrs Macapagal said some of the plotters had been detained and the chain of command from the military chief of staff down to battalion commanders was intact. "As commander-in-chief, I am in control of the situation," she said.
Thousands of anti-government demonstrators took to the streets to protest against Mrs Macapagal's move and press for her resignation over allegations that she cheated in the May 2004 presidential elections.
Pro-democracy groups yesterday condemned Mrs Macapagal's declaration of a state of emergency, described by one human rights organisation as "a licence given to the military and police to use against [whoever] they perceive to be enemies; it silences all forms of criticism, including media reporting".
Police yesterday forcibly dispersed between 15,000 and 20,000 demonstrators who tried to assemble along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, the capital's main road. This was in stark contrast to February 22-25 1986, when hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the same road to protect a small group of military officers who broke away from Mr Marcos.
Many of the people who led the 1986 uprising, including former president Corazon Aquino, are calling for the resignation of Mrs Macapagal. She was swept to power in 2001 by another people-power revolt against then-president Joseph Estrada but is herself now facing allegations of corruption and electoral fraud.
Reflecting growing disenchantment with politics, two-fifths of Filipinos surveyed in October said they would not join future popular uprisings amid growing doubts that changing leaders really improves the country's lot.
It also comes as Mrs Macapagal and her political allies move to overhaul the 1987 constitution, perhaps the most important legacy of the anti-Marcos civilian revolt, to change what they consider an essentially unstable presidential system that is prone to coup attempts and civilian uprisings. Another complaint is that the system is easily dominated by popular but politically inexperienced people including actors or sports stars.
Mrs Macapagal's declaration of a state of emergency came after the chief of staff of the armed forces, General Generoso Senga, announced that the commander of an elite fighting unit was being held for planning to lead soldiers joining anti-government protests today.
Gen Senga said the commander of the Scout Rangers regiment, Brig-Gen Danilo Lim, asked him on Thursday night to withdraw support from Mrs Macapagal. He said he refused and instead ordered the commander's confinement; he added the armed forces remained loyal to Mrs Macapagal and the government.
A military spokesman said disgruntled troops had planned to announce to the protesters that they were withdrawing support from the president in the hope this would trigger a groundswell of opposition to her.
