Army mutineers have seized a prestigious complex in the Philippines capital, ringing it with what appear to be explosives.
The Australian ambassador is known to be among foreign nationals inside the Glorietta business and hotel complex in the city's financial district.
A retired military officer is negotiating with the mutineers, who are said to be protesting at corruption within the government. There has been no firing at the scene.
Security guards are said to have fled from the scene when the soldiers appeared but marines loyal to the government are now surrounding the rebel positions.
Correspondents at the scene say the rebel soldiers fit the description of the group of soldiers accused of plotting against President Arroyo.
One of the officers on the government's arrest order told reporters outside the complex that the soldiers had planted explosives as a defence and denied any coup plot.
"We are not attempting to grab power - we are just trying to express our grievances," Lieutenant Antonio Trillanes
"These explosives are set to defend our position. If they try to take us down, we will be forced to use them."
He said the government had put out a "death warrant" against himself and the others to "suppress what we know".
The group has apparently demanded the resignation of Ms Arroyo and her defence minister. It accuses the government of staging terrorist attacks in the Philippines as a means of getting military aid from the US.
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To be fair, there have been several coup attempts in the Phillipines, and it's possible the rebels are just trying to drum up sympathy from the conspiracy crowd.
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Bob McDob wrote:To be fair, there have been several coup attempts in the Phillipines, and it's possible the rebels are just trying to drum up sympathy from the conspiracy crowd.
This would be like Bush alienating all but the extreme Right in his bid to gain reelection. This story reeks of either a coup, or some really desperate soldiers. I think it's the former, but I hope it's the latter.
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Post 666 Made on Fri Jul 04, 2003 @ 12:48 pm
Post 1337 made on Fri Aug 22, 2003 @ 9:18 am
Post 1492 Made on Fri Aug 29, 2003 @ 5:16 pm
Since when is a shopping mall a Government Complex?
Anyway, this is the first time I've seen anyone strap a pack of plastic explosives to a stop sign.
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Well, it ended with a whimper rather than a bang... Pity really as due to some of the hostages it looked like Brit/Aus/NZ SAS would have been able to get operational command whether the Phillipino's wanted them to or not. Well, maybe that's why it ended so quickly, noone ever said the coup leaders were suicidal...
Well, they got the international publicity they wanted. Now we'll just have to wait and see.
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Don't you know that, over here lad, they like it best like this!
Hooray, pour les français! Farewell, Angleterre!
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Vorlon1701 wrote:Well Hey, Corruption's everywhere. But if what the soldiers are saying is true, then this lady's gonna be in a world of trouble...
I do not think so. She said in a press conference that only 296 soldiers were involved. Of course many more may be hiding now. But that is still too small a number to succesfully execute a coup in a nation like the Phillipines.
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Which confirms my belief that these soldiers were simply trying to win international attention for their cause via an act of pseudo-terrorism, not trying to institute regime change.
That's the wrong way to tickle Mary, that's the wrong way to kiss!
Don't you know that, over here lad, they like it best like this!
Hooray, pour les français! Farewell, Angleterre!
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The standoff has ended.
From the Daily Illini, 7/28/2003
19-hour standoff ends
Mutinous Filipino soldiers to face prosecution.
MANILA, Philippines (AP) - Mutinous troops who seized a Manila shopping and apartment complex demanding the government resign ended a 19-hour standoff late Sunday and returned to barracks without a shot fired.
As President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo announced the crisis was over in a televised address, retreating mutineers defused the explosives they had rigged up inside the financial district's glass-and-stone Glorietta center.
"This is a triumph for democracy. May God bless the Philippines," the smiling and visibly relieved president said as aides with her at the presidential palace applauded.
She said that 296 soldiers, including 70 officers, were involved and that all would face prosecution based on "the articles of war."
Generals loyal to Arroyo had sent hundreds of troops to surround the besieged complex, home to wealthy Filipinos, foreign businesspeople and diplomats. The surrender by nearly 300 forces followed negotiations between their leaders and top government offificals--and repeated threats from Arroyo to crush the rebellion with armor and sharpshooters.
The mutineers, wearing camouflage and red arm bands emblazoned with white sun rays, carried rifles as they were trucked away to a nearby army base.
The Philippines has seen dozens of military uprisings and coup attempts since the "people power" ouster of dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. Sunday's rebellion erupted 24 hours ahead of a state of the nation address by Arroyo--and amid rumors of a coup plot--but she denied the standoff had loosened her grip on the presidency.
"I assure the world that this event does not in anyway injure our national security and political stability," she said.
Renegade troops claimed to have 2,000 supporters, but the group inside the complex was far smaller. There appeared to have been little public support for the mutiny. Arroyo's armed forces chief of staff, Gen. Narciso Abaya, pledged loyalty to the president.
The mutineers had complained about corruption and misconduct by senior officers and the government, as well as favoritism within the ranks and problems with a military retirement fund.
Some demanded an inquiry into terror bombings in the country's south and better control over military weapons and ammunition distribution.
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Interestingly the same mall was taken over multiple times in past failed coup attempts. For some reasons wannabe military dictators in Philipines seems to think that taking over a shopping is the root to power.
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evilcat4000 wrote:Interestingly the same mall was taken over multiple times in past failed coup attempts. For some reasons wannabe military dictators in Philipines seems to think that taking over a shopping is the root to power.
The mall is located smack dab in the middle of the main business/banking district. So if there is any disruption there nearly all commercial transactions grinds to a halt as people become too afraid to go to work.
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