Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Military full alert in Edsa II, Mendiola massacre rally (12:20 p.m.)
MANILA -- The military's National Capital Region Command (NCRcom) will be on alert against any possible eventualities that may arise during the planned rallies in commemoration with the Edsa II people power revolt and Mendiola massacre.
Armed Forces public information officer Bartolome Bacarro said the military may even declare the highest red alert status if the situation calls for.
"At present, the military is still on the normal -- white alert status," Bacarro said.
He said the NCRcom, headed by Major General Fernando Mesa, is engaged in coordinative meetings with its counterpart in the Philippine National Police (PNP) -- the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) -- in connection with the planned rallies.
"If the situation warrants, then we raise the alert (to red), then we will heighten our alert but we'd like to highlight that we are in full control, we are ready and we can handle the situation," the military spokesman said.
There are reports that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, New People's Army (NPA), may take advantage of the rallies to destabilize the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
PNP officials said the communists are trying to get in contact with the Magdalo Group, which include former Navy lieutenant turned Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
At present, Bacarro said the NCRcom has about three battalions -- about 1,500 soldiers -- under its operational control.
The NCRcom was activated shortly after the Oakwood mutiny in July 2003. The unit is similar to the NCR Defense Command which quelled a number of coups staged by then Army colonel now Senator Gregorio Honasan in the 1980s. (VR/Sunnex) |
