Fort Bonifacio standoff over; protests to continue

A challenge to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's state of emergency ended peacefully Sunday night after disgruntled Marine officers ended a five-hour standoff that started when their commander was relieved of duties. The officers appeared to back down when their appeal for people to defy a ban on rallies and turn out to protect them "from aggression" drew only about 3,000-4,000 opposition figures, leftist leaders and their followers. Their new commander, Brig. Gen. Nelson Allaga, said the men had agreed to be loyal. "It's clear we follow the chain of command, and we follow the duly constituted authority," Allaga said after meeting with the troops inside the headquarters camp. PROTESTS The presidential palace announced Sunday that classes in all levels in Metro Manila will be suspended Monday. A youth organization, however, said it will continue with their scheduled protest action against the state of national emergency proclaimed by President Arroyo on Friday. Mrs. Arroyo issued Proclamation 1017 because of what she said as a "clear and present danger" posed by a tactical alliance among communist rebels, rightist groups, the political opposition and rebel soldiers. Students plan to wear black shirt and ribbons on Monday. "A person does not need to be a political analyst or lawyer to know that Malacañang’s recent pronouncements and the actions undertaken by the Philippine National Police (PNP) are conspicuously similar to the moves done by the late dictator," said Raymond Palatino, spokesman for the Youth Demanding Arroyo’s Removal (YOUTH DARE). "Martial law is already in place, now under a new name and with a more ‘refined’ version, yet equally brutal," Palatino said. The youth group also plans to hold a noise barrage. Labor groups also plan to stage daily protest actions starting Monday in Metro Manila and key cities nationwide. "We will assert our hard-won right to peaceful assembly and free speech," said Wilson Fortaleza of the labor party-list Sanlakas. PROTESTING MARINES STAND DOWN Marine Colonel Ariel Querubin and his armed followers decided to stand down late Sunday evening. Querubin earlier in the day appealed for public support after holing up with armed men at the Marine headquarters. Around ten in the evening, however, Brigadier General Nelson Allaga, the new Marine commandant came out to announce that the five-hour standoff is over. "I am now the commandant. We talked inside. [Querubin] is not the authority here. I am the authority," Allaga said. “The Philippine Marine Corps is intact … The Marines are united," he said. "We follow the chain of command. We follow the duly constituted authority." Querubin and his men agreed to recognize Allaga as their new commandant, according to Captain Geronimo Malabanan, Navy spokesman. Authorities earlier warned of possible bloodshed after opposition figures trooped to the Marine compound in Fort Bonifacio to respond to Querubin’s appeal for support. After Allaga spoke, armored troop transports that ringed the building during the standoff pulled out. The rest of the Marines also marched out in formation and the opposition crowd of fewer than 50 drifted away. Sunday's standoff began after Querubin emerged with armed followers to protest the replacement earlier in the day of the Philippine Marine commandant, Major General Renato Miranda, by Allaga. Querubin said Miranda had likely been forced out by the government because of a meeting on Friday during which the general dissuaded him from taking his men to join an opposition rally calling for Arroyo's resignation. Tension mounted after another Marine officer, also angered by Miranda's replacement, lined up an armed platoon backed by three armored vehicles in front of the headquarters. "We are demonstrating our anger over the sacking of our commander," shouted the lieutenant-colonel, who asked not to be named. STRONGER MEASURES Malacanang on Sunday warned it is prepared to implement stronger measures to contain the “increasing agitation" in the military even as it appealed to opposition leaders not to “inflame" the already tense situation. “We are prepared to implement stronger measures and to do whatever is necessary to maintain peace and order in the country," Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor told reporters in a press conference in Malacanang. When asked whether Mrs. Arroyo was close to declaring martial law, Defensor said: “Of course not." “When we say stronger measures, we mean that the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police and other agencies of the government would fully enforce the law," Defensor said. He said the President will only exercise powers allowed by the Constitution. He said the relief of Miranda was not discussed during the National Security Council meeting earlier in the day. “The President has nothing to do with these movements," he said. Security remained tight in Malacanang. Reporters were asked to leave the Press Working Area in Kalayaan Hall before 6 p.m. and were transferred to the Arlegui Guest House. Armed Palace guards were seen being shuttled to various points in the palace complex. Defensor said members of the first family remained inside Malacanang. - GMANews.TV, with reports from AP, INQ7.net