Truemors
Anti-government leaders call for Philippine president Gloria Macapal-Arroyo's resignation amidst allegations of graft and corruption--and the never ending issue of vote rigging in the 2004 presidential elections.
Military personnel barricade all roads leading to the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City.
Update at Nov 29, 1:58pm: The Philippine National Police, particularly the NCRPO command, has received orders from Malacanang, the executive branch's HQ, to arrest key figures. A warrant of arrest will be served in the next hour against Senator Antonio Trillanes and other Magdalo officers.
Update at Nov 29, 3:05pm: Presidential spokesperson Ignacio Bunye said that the Malacanang has no plans of cancelling the President's state visit to Spain and Britain this weekend. Administration officials are confident that this issue will be resolved peacefully within the day.
According to a news report by AM radio station DZRH, Malacanang is studying possibilities of indicting civilians who are involved in the walk out and is now seeking refuge at the Makati City hotel.
The 3pm deadline has already lapsed but there is no new development on the arrest moves.
Update at Nov 29, 3:56pm: Pro-government troops have been given gas masks and tear gas canisters in preparation of moving in to the hotel and serve the arrest warrant. Hotel guests have been seen leaving the establishment. Members of the media inside the hotel are encouraged to leave.
DZRH radio reports of a possible assault coming in from the main lobby of the hotel.
Update at Nov 29, 4:06pm: Warning shots are reported to have been fired. Magdalo soldiers inside the hotel are positioning themselves for a possible assault by pro-government forces.
Details of this breaking news below:
MANILA, Philippines -- Detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and other officers accused of leading the July 2003 rebellion walked out of their trial Thursday and marched through the streets of Makati calling for the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.As of posting time, Trillanes and his comrades are at the Manila Peninsula where they are scheduled to hold a press conference.
The walkout began shortly after the trial resumed after a brief recess. Brigadier General Danilo Lim, who himself is detained and facing coup d’etat charges following an alleged failed coup attempt in February 2006, was pulled away by several soldiers from the witness stand.
Two Catholic bishops critical of the Arroyo administration went to the Manila Peninsula hotel where Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brigadier Gen. Danilo Lim proceeded after walking out of a Makati City courtroom.
Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias, Infanta Bishop Emeritus Julio Labayen as well as Fr. Robert Reyes were seen going into the hotel room where Trillanes and Lim held a closed-door meeting, separate reports said.
News coverage teams were barred from entering the meeting room, and were told to stay at the third floor lobby. Trillanes' group reportedly assured that journalists will be given updates.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has left San Pablo City aboard a helicopter and will head straight to Malacañang where she will preside over a meeting by the crisis committee of the National Security Council that will discuss the situation in Makati City involving Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
The entire National Capital Region Police Office has been placed on full alert following a protest march by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and his comrades in Makati City Thursday to demand the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Police Director Geary Barias, NCRPO chief, who is at the Manila Peninsula in Makati City where Trillanes and his supporters have been holed out since walking out from their coup de ‘etat hearing at the Makati RTC said police would try to make the situation "as normal as possible."
Barias attempted to go to the second floor of the hotel where Trillanes had been staying but a soldier wearing an arm band of Trillanes’ group the Magdalo prevented him and asked him to “wait a little longer.”
The soldier also said they were waiting for orders from a general he refused to identify.
On the eve of the government-imposed "deadline" for their surrender, military sympathizers of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brigadier Gen. Danilo Lim said Thursday expressed readiness to fight to the very end.
"No, we won't leave. We're ready to die here," one soldier standing guard at the Manila Peninsula told GMA News.
Transcript of statement by Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, Magdalo soldier
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