Ex-Soldiers Raid Philippine Armory but Fail in Bid to Free Fellow Marcos Loyalists

Former soldiers loyal to deposed President Ferdinand E. Marcos raided a military armory Saturday in an effort to free jailed colleagues, the military said.

The group got away with 24 automatic rifles, according to Maj. Gen. Ramon Montano, chief of the Philippine Constabulary. He said that the soldiers apparently intended to free Orlando Dulay, a former army colonel and provincial governor. Dulay has been accused of ordering the killing of several supporters of President Corazon Aquino during the 1986 presidential election.

Also Saturday, a judge in Switzerland ruled that assets held by Marcos in Fribourg state must be returned to the Philippines.

No figures were given, but the assets involved are believed to be about $50 million--a small part of the $1 billion that Philippine officials suspect Marcos channeled into Swiss bank accounts during his 20-year rule.

No Comment From Swiss

Swiss Justice Ministry spokesman Joerg Kistler refused to comment on media reports that Marcos has $50 million in Fribourg. Most of the Marcos assets are believed to be in Zurich.

The decision in Fribourg state also would give Philippine authorities access to relevant bank records in that state. The ruling is likely to be challenged by Marcos’ lawyers.

Saturday’s raid took place at Camp Crame, the constabulary’s national headquarters. Most of the 160 detainees there are soldiers accused of common crimes, but at least 34 are accused of taking part in coup attempts against Aquino.

Montano said troops were prepared for the raid because of intelligence reports that “Marcos loyalists” would try to free Dulay. He did not elaborate.

He said the raiders broke into one office of the armory and stole some weapons, then sped toward the jail compound in a van and a car but were fired on by sentries.

The raiders withdrew and were engaged in a brief gunfight by other soldiers near the camp’s gymnasium, Montano said.

An Isolated Incident

Late Saturday, the military chief of staff, Gen. Renato de Villa, described the Camp Crame incident as an isolated one meant to embarrass the government two days before Aquino departs for visits to Switzerland and Italy.

Meanwhile, the military announced that it had filed murder and kidnaping charges against a Swede, a West German and a Filipino of German descent who were arrested in a rebel area Wednesday.

They were accused of taking part in a raid by Communist New People’s Army guerrillas on a town southeast of Manila in February. Two people were killed and two soldiers were abducted in that raid.

Brig. Gen. Alejandro Galido, chief of the military’s Southern Luzon Command, said there was “heavy evidence” against the Rev. Klaus Schmidt, 52, a West German Protestant minister; Stellan Hermansson, 30, a Swede who says he is a free-lance journalist; and Antonio Bosch, a Filipino businessman.