Quiet in the Streets of Manila

Thousands of Filipinos had planned to gather Saturday to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the “people power” revolt that ousted President Ferdinand Marcos. Instead, they were left to ponder what had become of the freedoms they had won.

With the declaration of a state of emergency a day earlier, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo granted her government sweeping powers to ban public protests and control the media. Arroyo said she needed greater authority to defeat a plot to remove her from office.

With all rallies prohibited and celebrations of the “people power” anniversary canceled, the streets of Manila were unusually quiet.

“President Gloria slept well,” said her spokesman, Ignacio Bunye, on Saturday morning.

Authorities raided a newspaper that had been critical of Arroyo and seized unspecified documents. Police detained an opposition congressman based on a warrant from 1985. And authorities arrested two retired police generals while they were playing golf on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the president.

Philippine National Police Chief Arturo Lomibao said more arrests were imminent and warned that the government would take over media companies that “continue to contribute to an atmosphere of instability.”

Although it remains unclear how serious a coup threat Arroyo faced, her declaration of a state of emergency drew stinging criticism from political leaders who said it differed little from the martial-law powers that Marcos granted himself for years.

“I was not only surprised, I was appalled and dismayed,” said former President Fidel V. Ramos, who until this week had supported Arroyo. “What she did is contrary to the spirit of [people power]. In two days, she destroyed everything.

“It’s Marcosian.”

During her five years as president, Arroyo has been plagued by questions about her political legitimacy. Serving as vice president, she became president in 2001 after a “people power” protest ousted President Joseph Estrada. Like the protest that toppled Marcos, a combination of mass rallies and the withdrawal of the military’s support forced out Estrada.

Arroyo’s standing plummeted last year after revelations that she had directed an election official to make sure she won the 2004 presidential election by a million votes. She survived impeachment proceedings in September but many former supporters have urged her to resign, including former President Corazon Aquino.

The government has released few details about Friday’s alleged coup plot. But according to the government account, it appeared that a group of military officers was attempting to use the anniversary of Marcos’ ouster to trigger a third “people power” protest to force Arroyo to resign.

One general was arrested Friday after authorities learned that he planned to lead his troops to an anniversary celebration that day and declare his withdrawal of support for Arroyo. After his arrest, all anniversary rallies were canceled.

Police said they were still searching for hundreds of suspects wanted for their part in the alleged coup. Retired police generals Rex Piad and Ramon Montano were taken into custody at the 18th hole of a golf course south of Manila.

Rep. Crispin Beltran was taken into custody after police said they discovered an outstanding 21-year-old arrest warrant against him for sedition against Marcos. Activists who were arrested at the time under such charges were freed soon after Marcos’ ouster.

The government’s threat to take over media organizations caused great consternation among news executives. Arroyo’s emergency proclamation declared that claims by coup plotters “have been recklessly magnified by certain segments of the national media.”

The proclamation gives the president and armed forces the power to take over any publication or television station deemed to aid the rebels.

Publisher Ninez Cacho-Olivares, whose Daily Tribune newspaper was raided by police shortly after midnight Saturday, said she believed it was singled out because it had been the most critical of Arroyo.

“It’s martial law all over again,” she said. Some police officers remained at the newspaper through the day, their presence a reminder of the threat to the publication. Presidential Chief of Staff Mike Defensor said he hoped it would not be necessary to take over the Daily Tribune.

“We will not meddle with her publication but we have to show up and warn [the paper] not to help the rebels,” he said.

News executives said the new government rules remain so murky that it was unclear what could prompt closure of a media outlet. “It’s a proclamation that gives the government a lot of power without accountability,” said Maria Ressa, head of news at television network ABS-CBN.

Philippine Daily Inquirer publisher Isagani Yambot called on news organizations to join in resisting the government’s attempt to control the media.

“Police will be setting standards for the media. It’s going to have a chilling effect,” he said. “We have to resist the administration’s step with all our determination, will and force.”