Attempted coup in the Philippines on February 24, 2006
The attempted coup in the Philippines on February 24, 2006 was an attempt by military units of the Philippine Armed Forces to depose President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo . However, security forces were able to thwart the attempt. In the absence of independent confirmations of the incident, the precise circumstances surrounding the coup attempt remain controversial.
The commander of the special forces , Brigadier General Danilo Lim , was arrested as the leader of the coup. In addition to him, 16 other people, including leaders of the opposition , were arrested in connection with the alleged coup attempt.
In the course of the coup, the President declared a state of emergency that partially invalidates the constitution . However, this measure was sharply criticized by senators and human rights organizations and Arroyo was suspected of trying to eliminate critics and opposition members with this measure. At least 50 people were arrested during the emergency.
On March 3, the state of emergency was lifted as the danger of a coup was lifted.
background
On February 25, 1986 , the dictator Ferdinand Marcos was overthrown. For a long time, dictator Marcos had ruled the Philippines under martial law. On 24./25. March 2006 demonstrations and celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of his fall were planned.
President Arroyo came to power on January 20, 2001 after days of unrest against then President Joseph Estrada, who was allegedly involved in a corruption scandal . But officers mutinied as early as 2003 and accused their government of corruption and manipulation of terror in the country. In official elections in 2004 , Arroyo was confirmed in office despite massive election fraud. In June 2005 there were allegations of electoral fraud . However, an impeachment process by the opposition was foiled by Arroyo's ruling party.
Her husband, Jose Miguel Tuason Arroyo, fled to the United States shortly thereafter on allegations of corruption . This led to anti-Arroyo sentiment among the population.
The electoral fraud in 2004 cannot be denied by Western standards: In individual districts, Arroyo opponents received 0 votes, in Cebu, during a review, a number of votes were only filled in with the same handwriting, obstruction of reviews, buying votes in the election itself (5 dollars / vote , which often meant several times a day's earnings), agricultural funds were abused to bribe governors, the alleged election fraudster Garci (from the scandal of the same name) mysteriously disappeared for some time, meanwhile he is being investigated for passport forgery, etc.
The alleged coup attempt obviously served to intimidate the opposition. General Lim was held in a prison with no water or electricity for months without charge.
Arroyo evidently feared being overthrown by the impoverished masses of the population on the anniversary of the overthrow of dictator F. Marcos. The presence of the American military during an exercise in Mindanao must have given her the necessary security that the less corrupt sections of the military who are demanding her resignation will not carry out a real coup. For May 1st, she wants to stick to her order on preventive, including violent action by the military and police, despite an order to the contrary by the Supreme Court. About 5000 soldiers are called up.
The opposition press points to contradictions in the detection of grenades by security forces, this time attributed to the Abu Sayyaf rebels.
Course of the coup attempt
At midnight on February 24, military vehicles were seen entering Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City , Metro Manila . At 2:00 am, more vehicles drove to Camp Aguinaldo , the military headquarters , on " Epifanio de los Santos Avenue " (EDSA) in Manila . Brigadier General Danilo Lim, other officers and a prominent columnist for the Inquirer were arrested.
Allegedly, they had planned to forcibly overthrow the president on February 25 with around 200 soldiers. There was no independent confirmation of the allegations. Arroyo said that sections of the army had partnered with the communists (whose party is banned in the Philippines) to come to power.
According to details that became known in July 2006 (including a video recording of General Lim's speech), General Lim appears to have merely withdrawn the president's support. According to his own statements, he asked his superiors for permission to participate in a large anti-government demonstration.
On the other hand, the group evidently had plans in the event of the president's resignation.
consequences
Emergency
Arroyo then declared a state of emergency, which restricts fundamental rights of the constitution. People can be arbitrarily arrested and demonstrations prohibited.
On the same day, the head of the armed forces, General Generoso Senga , assured the president of the support of the army and asked the population to report any suspicious troop movements, as the danger had not yet been completely overcome. Various senators called on the army and police not to enforce the state of emergency because it was illegal. The Christian churches also opposed the state of emergency. It was announced that the Supreme Court would examine the constitutionality of the state of emergency.
On Monday, February 27, Arroyo extended the state of emergency after Marines went on strike on Sunday. On March 3, she lifted the state of emergency.
Dissolution of demonstrations and arrests of opposition members
As a result of the state of emergency, all demonstrations that were registered for the 20th anniversary of the fall of Marcos were banned. Some of the demonstrations were specifically directed against Arroyo's policies. A demonstration of 5,000 to 9,000 participants in the place where the coup started 20 years ago was violently broken up by the police .
Police arrested numerous opposition figures on February 25, including Crispin Beltran , leader of a left-wing political alliance. A total of around 50 people were arrested. Five left-wing MPs escaped arrest by escaping to the Chamber of Deputies . The arrest warrants were ruled unfounded and inadmissible by a court in Manila in mid-April.
The daily newspaper "Daily Tribune", which is critical of the government, was placed under police supervision. In late April, a Times Magazine journalist was blacklisted by the Immigration Service at the instigation of the Attorney General for a state of emergency report.
Web links
Wikinews: (September 6, 2005) Impeachment proceedings against Philippine President Arroyo failed - news- spiegel.de - Philippine police take action against opposition members
- nzz.ch - February 27, 2006 - Pressure on the media in Manila
- nzz.ch - March 3, 2006 - State of emergency lifted ( Memento from September 29, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- Amnesty International - March 8, 2006 - Public Statement AI Index: ASA 35/002/2006. Amnesty International statement in English on the human rights situation in the Philippines after the state of emergency was lifted.