Thursday, February 22, 2007 Military on red alert for Edsa 1, failed coup anniversaries
THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday went on the highest state of alert in time for the 21st anniversary of the People Power I revolt and the first anniversary of the failed coup mounted by renegade officers.
The military said however that it has not monitored any sinister plot by its officers and men to launch a plot similar to the one mounted by the group of Brigadier General Danilo Lim on February 24 last year.
AFP public information officer Bartolome Bacarro said it is a practice of the Armed Forces to declare a red alert because of the anniversary celebration of the People Power I revolt that starts Thursday.
The declaration of the red alert came three days before the first anniversary of the failed power grab by the group of Lim and former Marine commandant Renato Mirandao who had planned to lead their men to a march to Edsa Shrine to withdraw support from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
On whether there are military generals planning to repeat what Lim and Miranda did last year in this year's celebration, he said "we have no information that a similar incident will happen, we can say that everything is normal."
Lim, Miranda and Miranda and 26 other Army and Marine officers are incarcerated in different military detention facilities, facing charges before a general court martial in connection with the failed power grab.
The court has so far conducted two hearings since November last year. (VR/Sunnex)
