Makati siege part of ‘serious’ destabilization plot

Government security forces assaulted the Manila hotel where a band of renegade soldiers were demanding President Gloria Arroyo (C) step down. Authorities launched a manhunt Friday for more suspects accused of helping stage a dramatic but short-lived rebellion against the government(AFP/PCPO)

Officials revealed Friday that the six-hour standoff in Makati City was part of a bigger plot to destabilize the government.

Director General Avelino Razon Jr., Philippine National Police chief, said that according to intelligence reports the siege led by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Army Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim was supposed to last until Friday, in time for the scheduled demonstrations of civil society groups in celebration of Bonifacio Day.

“We received information that together with the mass actions today (Friday), [there will be] some destabilization action. It was not specified what kind of action,” Razon told ANC, adding that the action was bigger than the demonstrations.

He said that based on the documents recovered during clearing operations at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City, the walkout and occupation of the hotel was executed earlier than the plan.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said in a radio dzMM interview that Trillanes’s group was supposed to “hostage” the hotel to lure the Bonifacio Day protesters into joining the ouster call for President Arroyo.

“Alam nila na wala silang makukuhang so-called civilian [groups] kahapon (They know they wouldn’t be able to get [support] of civilian [groups] yesterday [Thursday]),” Puno said.

The secretary said the bigger plot involved other armed groups, who were reportedly “roaming around” at the height of the uprising in Makati City.

He said at least two armed teams were involved in the plot. “That’s the reason for the curfew also.”

Puno said the police were expecting an armed encounter Thursday night during follow up operations, which was why Malacañang declared a five-hour curfew in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon).

“There were I believe two teams that [the police] think are going around. If [the police] caught up with them, there will be a gunfight in the streets and people will be hurt. It will become another big incident,” the secretary explained.

Razon had said that documents that revealed the participation of four groups in the “well-planned” standoff were recovered during Thursday night’s mopping up operations at the hotel..

Policemen also arrested two Magdalo officers identified as Lt. Arman Pontejos and a certain Sgt. Bosi during clearing operations at the hotel. Police said the two were already dressed in civilian clothes when discovered in one of the hotel’s rooms.

“We have found several documents that have supported this theory that this is well- planned (and) the other groups that might continue to implement their plans,” he said.

He said the plan detailed what the groups “intend to do; who are the personalities; who would do it.”

“The groups mentioned are listed by their codenames. May proseso pa tayong ginagawa ngayon, checking with the people we arrested kung sinu-sino itong mga nakalistang ito. We have them listed at iyung kanilang gagawain, specified iyung mga hours ng mga activity,” Razon said.

(The groups mentioned are listed by their codenames. We have an ongoing process, checking with the people we arrested on who these people are. We have them listed and what they intend to do, the hours of their activities were specified.)

The documents recovered listed the following codenames: “Tirador”, “Regulasyon”, “Alabata”, “Jojit”, “Bitales”, “Gambit” and “Sniper.”

Razon said probers believe that members of the four groups are within the area where a curfew was declared.

“This will afford us to lessen the movement of the people so that iyung aming follow-up operations, iyung pursuit nitong ibang personalities na mai-identify natin would be successful,” he said.

Razon said the police were still studying the recovered documents to uncover the personalities involved in the destabilization plot. He is confident that investigators will be able to identify the suspects and determine how wide the plot was.

The police chief said police contingents have been tasked to closely monitor scheduled demonstrations on Friday. He is hoping that mass actions will end peacefully.

Malacañang declared the curfew after ending the six-hour standoff with the arrest of Trillanes, Lim and other personalities, including Bishop Julio Labayen and former vice president Teofisto Guingona. The group was initially brought to Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig for “processing” and transferred to Camp Crame on Friday.

The group was detained at the PNP’s maximum detention facility inside Camp Crame.

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