Troops strengthened in Philippine capital for fear of coup

By Xinhua

Manila : Troops were strengthened in the Philippine capital region Friday for fear of a possible coup against the Arroyo administration, the military said.


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About 1,000 soldiers were brought to Metro Manila amid reports of a plot to destabilize the Philippine government, Philippine ABS-CBN TV citing Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Armed Forces Chief of Staff, reported.

The troops from two army camps and a Philippine Air Force base in the northern part of the main Luzon island will beef up about 3,000 soldiers based in the capital.

The Philippine military sacked six junior officers earlier Friday for allegedly recruiting troops for a coup plot against the Arroyo administration.

Hermogenes Esperon Jr. declined to identify the six officers, only saying the six are being investigated for their supposed involvement in the recruitment for a fresh destabilization plot against the administration.

The military leadership is also monitoring other groups who could be involved in the destabilization plot, said the general.

Political personalities seeking change are behind the destabilization plot, said Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, Marine Commandant.

“I believe these are the personalities, political personalities, who want change, and most likely they have supporters within the ranks of the Armed Forces,” Dolorfino said.

Thursday, Esperon had said there were fresh recruitment efforts for the destabilization plot against the administration. The military discovered the plot after several soldiers told their superiors about the recruitment efforts, he said.

“Too bad for them, our soldiers have been imbued with the idea that it is only through the chain of command that we should be performing our duties,” he said.

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