RP on alert as Arroyo leaves for China
RP on alert as Arroyo leaves for China
Reuters, Manila
The Philippine military and police went on alert in a regular
precautionary exercise as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo left
for an official visit to China on Sunday, officials said.
Arroyo's four-day visit to Hong Kong and Beijing follows coup
rumors around the metropolis last week and ahead of ousted
president Joseph Estrada's perjury trial on Monday where
supporters for and against the former president are expected to
gather in front of the anti-graft court.
"The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the armed forces are
on blue alert," said Gen. Thompson Lantion, PNP director for
police community relations.
"Blue alert" means 50 percent of the country's police and
military forces are put on stand-by, while "red alert" means all
personnel are put on watch.
"It's part of regular procedure each time the president leaves
the country...there's no cause for public alarm. The blue alert
level has nothing to do with coup rumors."
Destabilization rumors have continued to make the rounds since
Arroyo was catapulted to power in January after a people power
revolt booted Estrada from office.
The administration has been battling for days to silence talk
in local newspapers that a coup plot called "Black October" was
brewing in elements of the national police.
Police and military spokesmen have repeatedly affirmed their
loyalty to Arroyo in recent days.
"The alert status of the military and PNP is exactly the same
as that implemented during the previous trips abroad of the
President," National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said in a
statement, adding that no specific threats have been noted.
Arroyo, in her departure speech, said she and Chinese
President Jiang Zemin were scheduled to witness signing of
"landmark" bilateral agreements on the fight against
transnational crimes, on combating the illicit trade in narcotics
and on the extradition of fugitives.
She also said they would discuss the disputed South China Sea
archipelago Spratly Islands which both countries lay claim as
well as agricultural cooperation, and trade and investment.
In Hong Kong, Arroyo said she would make a "personal appeal"
to the Filipinos working in the territory to maximize their
remittances to their home country to help sustain the economy.
Rumors of the alleged coup plot pulled the peso down past 52
to the dollar for the first time since Aug. 13 on Thursday, but
Arroyo stuck to her target of reaching 50 pesos by the year end.
PNP's Lantion said the police were also preparing to beef up
security around anti-graft court Sandiganbayan on Monday for
Estrada's expected court appearance.
The ousted leader is on trial for a string of charges
including economic plunder, illegal use of an alias, perjury and
graft during his 31-month reign.
"There will be a tightened security in tomorrow's arraignment
of former president Estrada. Around 2,000 policemen would be
assigned to security," he said.
The PNP would be waiting for an order from Sandiganbayan to
fetch the former movie actor from a nearby military hospital.
Estrada has been in police custody since April and is currently
undergoing treatment for a lung ailment.
Estrada told local radio on Sunday said that he was "sad but
hopeful" ahead of his perjury trial on Monday.
"What they are doing to me hurts, but I'm sure that I will be
vindicated in the end," Estrada said in an interview with dzBB.
Last week, Estrada informed the anti-graft court that he was
waiving his right to be present at the perjury trial. He made a
similar appeal at his plunder trial on Oct. 1, but did not resist
police who had come to fetch him.