Aquino downplays martial law threat

Aquino downplays martial law threat

MANILA (Reuter): Former president Corazon Aquino played down yesterday fears that martial law could return to the Philippines, saying Filipinos would fight it.

"It will be extremely difficult, almost impossible, to institute martial law in this country," Aquino said in an interview.

Manila newspapers and some politicians have expressed alarm at an anti-terrorism bill pending in Congress, seeing it as a precursor of a return to martial law. The bill would allow the police to tap telephone conversations, make arrests without warrants and look into the bank accounts of individuals.

Aquino, who inspired the 1986 People's Power revolution that overthrew the 20-year rule of Ferdinand Marcos, said Filipinos had taken their freedom for granted when the late dictator first imposed martial law in 1972.