Clash With Estrada Backers Feared

The powerful head of the Philippine Roman Catholic church urged people into the streets early today to defend democracy and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, setting up a possible showdown with thousands of protesters supporting ousted President Joseph Estrada.

Troops were put on alert after the call by Cardinal Jaime Sin. The country’s military chief of staff held a 2 a.m. news conference to repeat support for Arroyo and deny reports that officers were defecting to Estrada’s camp.

“I’d like to assure the public that the Armed Forces of the Philippines stands united 100%, steadfast behind Commander in Chief . . . Arroyo, and claims to the contrary are plain and simple falsehood and designed to create disorder and sow confusion,” said Gen. Diomedio Villanueva, the military chief of staff.

Five tanks sat behind a building at the hospital where Estrada has been temporarily freed from jail to undergo medical tests, and armored personnel carriers were deployed at the presidential palace, part of a special 2,000-person task force mobilized to stop anti-government unrest.

“We are on alert,” Villanueva said.

Hundreds of people immediately responded to Sin’s midnight request to gather near the presidential palace as the pro-Estrada rallies moved into a fifth day. Sin, one of Estrada’s harshest critics, was among the leaders of mass protests that forced the former action film star to leave the presidential palace Jan. 20 over corruption allegations.

The government has allowed the pro-Estrada rallies, which so far have been peaceful, to continue at the shrine to the “people power” revolution that toppled late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. Tens of thousands of people have attended nightly.

“There are limits to these liberties. If the safety of individuals [is] threatened, then the exercise of those liberties might have to be restrained,” Interior Secretary Jose Lina said.

Estrada and his son Jinggoy were jailed Wednesday for the capital offense of plunder--defined as theft from the state of more than $1 million.

A statement issued Sunday by the ousted president, urging that the rallies continue, was read to the protesters.