http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=482432&publicationSubCategoryId=63
MANILA, Philippines – Opposition leader and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay said Mrs. Arroyo might end up like ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya if she and her allies persist in trying to stay in power beyond 2010.
“Mrs. Arroyo should view the events in Honduras as a wake-up call. She should not test the patience of the people, especially the military, with the supposed plan to force the current Armed Forces chief into early retirement to pave the way for a diehard Gloria loyalist,” Binay said.
Zelaya was ousted in a military coup and forced into exile after announcing plans to change the Constitution to allow him to run again for president after the end of his fixed four-year term. His country’s Supreme Court had declared the planned term extension illegal.
Binay also said the planned “self-coup” by generals perceived as rabidly pro-Mrs. Arroyo would further fuel unrest within the military and galvanize opposition to her regime.
The reported “self-coup” within the military leadership – dubbed “Oplan August Moon” – is supposedly intended to put generals identified with Class ’78 of the Philippine Military Academy in key positions before the end of the year. Mrs. Arroyo is an adopted member of Class ’78.
“Such a plan falls in place with the recent moves by Mrs. Arroyo to extend her hold on power by pushing for amendments to the Constitution,” he said.
“Nothing happens by accident under the regime of Mrs. Arroyo. And a plan to consolidate her hold on the military leadership would be a logical part of a larger plan to stay in power beyond 2010,” he said.
“Should Oplan August Moon turn out to be true, then we should prepare for the worst, since you will have both the AFP and even the PNP under the command of known Gloria loyalists, and this will happen during the election period, a very critical period for the country but most especially for Mrs. Arroyo,” he said.
In the alleged coup plot, AFP chief of staff Gen. Victor Ibrado would be “forced into retirement” and replaced by Army chief Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit.
Binay said he also got reports that a certain police general has been telling people that he would be the next PNP chief by December.
“During the election period, Mrs. Arroyo will have complete control over the AFP and PNP leadership. She will definitely use this to her advantage, whether to ensure the victory of her anointed candidate, or to impose emergency rule and even martial law,” Binay said.
Denunciation
Cuba’s Ambassador to Manila condemned the coup in Honduras and said his country will never recognize the regime installed by the military.
“We denounce the coup d’etat in Honduras. The Cuban position is not to negotiate with the military. This is not the solution and this (new leadership) is not the government of the people,” Ambassador Jorge Rey Jimenez told The STAR.
Jimenez also condemned the Honduran military’s violation of the diplomatic immunity of Cuba’s Ambassador to Tegucigalpa Juan Carlos Hernandez, who was kidnapped and beaten along with Honduran Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas in the presence of the Venezuelan and Nicaraguan ambassadors.
“Nobody knows what happened to her (Rodas). And the kidnapping of ambassadors is a violation of diplomatic immunity of ambassadors in Honduras. This fascist coup and break of constitutional situation and democratic situation in Honduras took the president who was legally voted,” Jimenez added.
Hours later, Hernandez was released and, with the help of friends, returned to the Cuban embassy. – With Pia Lee-Brago
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