W-OLF
03-17-2006, 02:27 PM
Philippine Ex-Cabinet Secretary Arrested
Published: 3/17/06, 8:07 AM EDT
MANILA, Philippines (AP) - Philippine police on Friday arrested a former Cabinet secretary for illegal assembly and two suspected followers of a former senator wanted for his alleged role in last month's thwarted coup, officials said.
Former Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman and activist Vicente Romano were arrested for leading a silent protest in Manila of about 30 people wearing T-shirts bearing the slogan "Oust Now," apparently calling for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to resign.
Police said they were arrested for holding a rally without a permit at a popular tree-lined promenade on the edge of Manila Bay.
"We are not holding a rally, we are just strolling. We are not disturbing anyone, we don't even have placards," Soliman said.
Police plan to file an illegal assembly complaint against Soliman and Romano, and a prosecutor is expected to conduct inquest proceedings Friday night, Metropolitan Manila police chief Director Vidal Querol said by telephone.
Separately, police arrested Ricardo Pauso and Melchor Lobete, both members of a civilian-military fraternity known as the Guardians Brotherhood Inc., Friday in northern Bulacan province, Querol said. Police seized several high-powered weapons, including rifle grenades and magazines for M-16 rifles, from the men.
Former Senator Gregorio Honasan, accused by the government of playing a role in last month's thwarted coup, is a faction leader of the Guardians.
"We are checking if they are followers of ex-Senator Honasan because the Guardians have mutated into several factions," Querol said. "They are not giving a definitive statement."
Querol said the men were carrying Guardian membership cards and apparently spurious cards identifying them as military intelligence agents.
Honasan, a former army colonel, has not been seen in public since last month. After leading coup attempts against then-President Corazon Aquino in 1987 and 1989, the government granted him amnesty in 1995. He has since been charged in a mutiny by about 300 junior officers and personnel from elite military units in July 2003.
Arroyo imposed a weeklong state of national emergency last month to quash a coup plot that allegedly involved disgruntled soldiers, communist rebels and civilian backers.
credit BellSouth
Published: 3/17/06, 8:07 AM EDT
MANILA, Philippines (AP) - Philippine police on Friday arrested a former Cabinet secretary for illegal assembly and two suspected followers of a former senator wanted for his alleged role in last month's thwarted coup, officials said.
Former Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman and activist Vicente Romano were arrested for leading a silent protest in Manila of about 30 people wearing T-shirts bearing the slogan "Oust Now," apparently calling for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to resign.
Police said they were arrested for holding a rally without a permit at a popular tree-lined promenade on the edge of Manila Bay.
"We are not holding a rally, we are just strolling. We are not disturbing anyone, we don't even have placards," Soliman said.
Police plan to file an illegal assembly complaint against Soliman and Romano, and a prosecutor is expected to conduct inquest proceedings Friday night, Metropolitan Manila police chief Director Vidal Querol said by telephone.
Separately, police arrested Ricardo Pauso and Melchor Lobete, both members of a civilian-military fraternity known as the Guardians Brotherhood Inc., Friday in northern Bulacan province, Querol said. Police seized several high-powered weapons, including rifle grenades and magazines for M-16 rifles, from the men.
Former Senator Gregorio Honasan, accused by the government of playing a role in last month's thwarted coup, is a faction leader of the Guardians.
"We are checking if they are followers of ex-Senator Honasan because the Guardians have mutated into several factions," Querol said. "They are not giving a definitive statement."
Querol said the men were carrying Guardian membership cards and apparently spurious cards identifying them as military intelligence agents.
Honasan, a former army colonel, has not been seen in public since last month. After leading coup attempts against then-President Corazon Aquino in 1987 and 1989, the government granted him amnesty in 1995. He has since been charged in a mutiny by about 300 junior officers and personnel from elite military units in July 2003.
Arroyo imposed a weeklong state of national emergency last month to quash a coup plot that allegedly involved disgruntled soldiers, communist rebels and civilian backers.
credit BellSouth