The Manila Peninsula siege occurred on November 29, 2007, at
The Peninsula Manila
The Peninsula Manila (colloquially Manila Pen or simply Manila Peninsula), is a 5-star luxury hotel in the Philippines. It is located on the corner of Ayala Avenue and Makati Avenue in the Makati Central Business District. It is located also i ...
hotel in
Makati
Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.
Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...
, Philippines.
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
Antonio Trillanes IV
Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV (; born August 6, 1971) is a retired Philippine naval officer who also served as a senator of the Philippines from 2007 to 2019. He is known for his involvement in the Oakwood mutiny of 2003 and the Manila Peninsul ...
, Brigadier General
Danilo Lim
Danilo "Danny" Delapuz Lim (June 2, 1955 – January 6, 2021) was a Filipinos, Filipino Brigadier General (Philippines), soldier who served as Chairperson of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Chair of the Metropolitan Manila Dev ...
, and 25 other
Magdalo Group
The Magdalo Group was a group of dissident soldiers who staged the unsuccessful Oakwood mutiny. Made up of junior officers of all branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the group took over the Oakwood Premier Ayala Center in Makat ...
officers walked out of their trial for the 2003
Oakwood mutiny
On July 23, 2003, a failed coup d'etat, now known as the Oakwood mutiny, was staged by a group of about 300 armed defectors from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) led by Army Capt. Gerardo Gam ...
coup attempt and marched through the streets of
Makati
Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.
Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...
. The mutineers called for the ousting of President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, House Deputy Spe ...
, and seized the Rizal function room on the second floor of the Manila Peninsula Hotel along
Ayala Avenue
Ayala Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Makati, Philippines. It is one of the busiest roads in Metro Manila, crossing through the heart of the Makati Central Business District. Because of the many businesses located along the avenue, Ayala Avenu ...
. Former Vice-President
Teofisto Guingona, Jr.
Teofisto "Tito" Tayko Guingona Jr. (born July 4, 1928) is a Filipino politician and diplomat who served as the 11th vice president of the Philippines from 2001 to 2004, during the first term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Born in San ...
as well as some of the soldiers from the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The P ...
joined the march to the hotel.
After several hours, Trillanes and Lim surrendered to government forces after a military
armored personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world.
Acc ...
barged into the glass door of the hotel lobby and the hotel walls and windows sustained weapons damage. Trillanes and the mutineers were arrested while several journalists covering the event were detained. The journalists were subsequently released.
Occupation
On November 29, 2007, led by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Army Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, thirty soldiers with armed guards, on trial for the 2003
Oakwood Mutiny
On July 23, 2003, a failed coup d'etat, now known as the Oakwood mutiny, was staged by a group of about 300 armed defectors from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) led by Army Capt. Gerardo Gam ...
, walked out of court and marched towards the luxury Peninsula Manila Hotel. They were joined by former vice-president
Teofisto Guingona, Jr.
Teofisto "Tito" Tayko Guingona Jr. (born July 4, 1928) is a Filipino politician and diplomat who served as the 11th vice president of the Philippines from 2001 to 2004, during the first term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Born in San ...
, who called the gathering "New EDSA". They were also joined by other military personnel and civilians carrying
M-16
The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-roun ...
or
M-14 M14, M-14, or M.14 most often refers to:
* M14 rifle, an American military rifle
** Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle, an American designated marksman rifle based on the M14
M14, M-14, or M.14 may also refer to:
Roads
* Highway M14 (Ukraine)
* M-14 (Mic ...
rifles. The soldiers, some of whom were carrying and wearing
Magdalo (mutineers)
The Magdalo Group was a group of dissident soldiers who staged the unsuccessful Oakwood mutiny. Made up of junior officers of all branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the group took over the Oakwood Premier Ayala Center in Makat ...
flags and pins, marched along Makati Avenue and occupied The Peninsula Manila Hotel's second floor. Sen. Trillanes and Brig. Gen. Lim stayed in the
Rizal
Rizal, officially the Province of Rizal ( fil, Lalawigan ng Rizal), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Its capital is the city of Antipolo. It is about east of Manila. The p ...
function room negotiating most of the time.
Arroyo called for an emergency Cabinet meeting as she took a helicopter back to the
Malacañan Palace amid tight security.
Novaliches
Novaliches is a place that forms the northern areas of Quezon City, and encompasses the whole area of North Caloocan.
Etymology
The name Novaliches came from the name of the small village of Novaliches in the town of Jérica, Spain. It was ...
Catholic Bishop Antonio Tobias, Infanta Bishop Emeritus Julio Labayen, Jimmy Regalario of the Kilusang makabansang Ekonomiya, Father Robert Reyes, former
University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 200 ...
president Francisco Nemenzo, Bishop Julius Labayen, Bishop Antonio Tobias, and Fr. Robert Reyes joined Trillanes's group, as Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Presidential Spokesperson-Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye rushed back to Malacañang. The Presidential Security Group sealed off the Palace while troops secured the
North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
and
South Luzon Expressway
The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), signed as E2 of the Philippine expressway network and R-3 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is a limited-access toll expressway that connects Metro Manila to the provinces in the Calabarzon region ...
s. A website soon appeared, proclaiming Lim and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV as the leaders of the
coup. The website entry read:
:"Senator Antonio Trillanes, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, Magdalo soldiers, their guards and the people have started marching towards Makati triangle.
..We presently find in existence a dangerous concept where the armed forces now owe their primary allegiance and loyalty to those who temporarily exercise the authority of the executive branch of the government rather than to the country and the Constitution they have sworn to protect. That is a concept we defy and struggle to eradicate. If you believe you are a man of will and courage with unselfish motives and brave enough to fight against such tyranny, rise up and be counted!"
The
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...
declared a red alert status in
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
as a result of the incident.
At 2:46 pm
PST, Police Director Geary Barias, chief of the
National Capital Region Police Office
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is a division of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that has jurisdiction over Metro Manila, also known as the National Capital Region. It is headquartered in Camp Bagong Diwa.
History As PC ...
, ordered everyone inside the Manila Peninsula to vacate, according to reports on radio and television.
:"I am asking all guests of the hotel to leave so that we can do our jobs," Barias said in a live interview.
Siege and assault
The
Philippine military
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The P ...
rushed at least three battalions of infantry, consisting of roughly 1,500 troops, to Metro Manila's Makati business district to crush the mutiny. The
Philippine Marines
The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) ( fil, Hukbong Kawal Pandagat ng Pilipinas) is the marine corps of the Philippines, a naval infantry force under the command of the Philippine Navy. The PMC conducts amphibious, expeditionary, and special oper ...
on Thursday said it would be loyal to the chain of command and would help crush the rebellion led by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim. The Marines sent three
armored personnel carriers and two trucks of troops to Makati to support government police and military units in the area.
Judge Oscar Pimentel, Makati Regional Trial Court, issued an arrest warrant and Director Geary Barias,
National Capital Region Police Office
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is a division of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that has jurisdiction over Metro Manila, also known as the National Capital Region. It is headquartered in Camp Bagong Diwa.
History As PC ...
director, stated "Arrests will be made at 3 p.m."
The
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...
(PNP) gave Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim until this time to surrender, as it evacuated guests and personnel inside The Peninsula Manila Hotel. Lim stated: "We make this fateful step of removing Mrs. Macapagal Arroyo from the presidency and undertake the formation of a new government."
The planned assault was held off until 3:58 p.m. At 3:58 p.m., 50
Special Action Force commandos lined up outside The Peninsula Manila Hotel to enforce the arrest of rebel soldiers. The commandos, who were carrying
gas masks
A gas mask is a mask used to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Most gas mask ...
, went into formation after rebel soldiers refused to accept warrants for their arrest. There were indications that the armed rebel soldiers inside the hotel were ready for battle.
Armored personnel carriers and
Armoured fighting vehicles (AFV) of the police and the military were also dispatched around the building. The movement intensified after 4 p.m., when policemen in full-battle gear fired warning shots as they prepared to storm the hotel. Footage taken by ABS-CBN Sky Patrol showed Special Action Force commandos moving in battle formation towards the hotel.
Glass on the windows was broken to allow the dispersal of
tear gas
Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ad ...
to those held up inside the hotel. Afterwards, an exchange of fire was heard between the military and the Magdalo Group. Firing stopped at 4:30 p.m. Bishop Julio Labayen appealed: "Please do not storm the place.. so nobody gets hurt." (4:37 p.m.) Various TV and radio crews, as well as other media personnel, were trapped in the hotel, while the Palace appealed to media and the public to stay away from Makati.
The AFV broke into hotel lobby at 5:10 p.m., with soldiers pouring into the hotel. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim decided to surrender to the arresting authorities to avoid loss of lives as several journalists and other civilians were with them. Director Geary Barias declared that the standoff at the Manila Peninsula Hotel was over as the mutinous soldiers agreed to leave the hotel and surrender to Barias after the 6 hour siege (5:30 p.m.).
Arrests
Trillanes, Lim, and their cohorts, and Guingona were arrested by the
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...
and were sent to
National Capital Region Police Office
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is a division of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that has jurisdiction over Metro Manila, also known as the National Capital Region. It is headquartered in Camp Bagong Diwa.
History As PC ...
headquarters in
Camp Bagong Diwa
Camp Bagong Diwa () is the headquarters of the National Capital Region Police Office, located in Lower Bicutan, Taguig, Philippines.
Functions
The camp serves many functions: within its gates are enclosed a police academy and the Taguig City Ja ...
,
Taguig
Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig ( fil, Lungsod ng Taguig), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 886,722 people. Located in the northwestern shores of ...
.
ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs
ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs, known on-air as ABS-CBN News (formerly known as ''ABS-CBN News and Public Affairs'' and later ''ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs''), is the news and current affairs production and distribution divisi ...
,
Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News (originally Bloomberg Business News) is an international news agency headquartered in New York City and a division of Bloomberg L.P. Content produced by Bloomberg News is disseminated through Bloomberg Terminals, Bloomberg Televi ...
,
NHK
, also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee.
NHK operates two terrestr ...
,
DWIZ,
Manila Bulletin
The ''Manila Bulletin'' (), (also known as the ''Bulletin'' and previously known as the ''Manila Daily Bulletin'' from 1906 to September 23, 1972, and the ''Bulletin Today'' from November 22, 1972, to March 10, 1986) is the Philippines' largest ...
and Malaya journalists who were covering the event were also arrested. All of them were asked to leave their belongings and to not bring anything with them. They were advised by a lawyer not to talk as what the police were doing was against the law and violated their rights. Roman Catholic priest Fr. Robert Reyes and Bishop Julio Labayen were also seen boarding the same bus where the arrested press correspondents were transported in. The
Special Action Force was involved in arresting Brigadier General Danilo Lim.
Trillanes said he was ready to face whatever charges the government will give him.
In a TV interview with
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast broadcast network, network tha ...
, National Defense Secretary
Gilberto Teodoro
Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo Cojuangco Teodoro Jr. (born June 14, 1964), nicknamed Gilbert or Gibo (), is a Filipino lawyer, politician and business executive who served as the Secretary of National Defense from 2007 to 2009 under President Gloria ...
defended the arrests of media reporters as the arresting officers "didn't know the journalists and may have mistook them as renegade soldiers," although several of these journalists were hosting several prominent TV programs. Several journalists, mostly from TV and radio, were released at the NCRPO HQ.
It was announced that a
curfew
A curfew is a government order specifying a time during which certain regulations apply. Typically, curfews order all people affected by them to ''not'' be in public places or on roads within a certain time frame, typically in the evening and ...
from midnight to 5 am would be implemented in the
regions
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
of Metro Manila,
Central Luzon
Central Luzon ( pam, (Reyun ning) Kalibudtarang Luzon, pag, (Rehiyon na) Pegley na Luzon, tgl, (Rehiyon ng) Gitnang Luzon, ilo, (Rehion/Deppaar ti) Tengnga ti Luzon), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines, ...
, and
Calabarzon
Calabarzon (), formally known as the Southern Tagalog Mainland, is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region IV-A. The region comprises five provinces: Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, and Rizal; and one highly urban ...
for the night of November 29–30.
Aftermath
The
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...
ordered a manhunt for the soldiers who escaped from the hotel, including Marine Captain Nicanor Faeldon; meanwhile, several persons of interest were detained at
Camp Bagong Diwa
Camp Bagong Diwa () is the headquarters of the National Capital Region Police Office, located in Lower Bicutan, Taguig, Philippines.
Functions
The camp serves many functions: within its gates are enclosed a police academy and the Taguig City Ja ...
in
Taguig
Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig ( fil, Lungsod ng Taguig), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 886,722 people. Located in the northwestern shores of ...
. Several journalists were also "processed" at Camp Bagong Diwa and were subsequently released. On December 1, fifty individuals, including Trillanes, were charged of rebellion at
inquest
An inquest is a judicial inquiry in common law jurisdictions, particularly one held to determine the cause of a person's death. Conducted by a judge, jury, or government official, an inquest may or may not require an autopsy carried out by a coro ...
proceedings.
On December 3, the Peninsula Manila became fully operational with an estimated damage at US$1.2 million. The next day, Armed Forces chief-of-staff Hermogenes Esperon announced the arrest of Communist
New People’s Army operative Myrna Hombrebueno in connection with the rebellion, proving the connection between the Communists and rebels. Had Trillanes succeeded, according to Esperon, a National Transition Council (NTC), allegedly would replace the Arroyo administration, and the Philippines put under a "lean and mean" military and police force (per 5-page document – "Proposed Program"). Razon himself revealed that a "female press reporter" provided Faeldon a fake press I.D. card that caused his escape and that he is still inside
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
. Razon also sacked the Makati police chief for failure to prevent the walk-out.
The Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC), upon receiving the cases on December 6, dismissed the cases against Guingona, Reyes, and other civilians, on December 13.
Reactions
Domestic
*Chief Justice
Reynato Puno
Reynato Puno y Serrano, KGCR (Filipino: ''Reynato Serrano Puno''; born May 17, 1940) is a Filipino jurist. He served as the 22nd Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from December 8, 2006 by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo unt ...
reiterated that he was not interested in a proposal to head a
caretaker government
A caretaker government is a temporary ''ad hoc'' government that performs some governmental duties and functions in a country until a regular government is elected or formed. Depending on specific practice, it usually consists of either randomly se ...
if President Arroyo was removed from power.
*Sen.
Rodolfo Biazon
Rodolfo Gaspar Biazon (, born April 14, 1935) is a Filipino politician and former Philippine Marine Corps general. He was the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in early 1991 and then served as a Senator from 1992 to 1995 ...
, a former Armed Forces
Chief of Staff
The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...
, said he hopes that the situation will not end up in "soldiers killing each other. I hope no more officers and even enlisted men are going to be sacrificed because they were either influenced or they were ordered to do things. I hope the turn of events
snot going to be rejected by our people,"
*Sen.
Gregorio Honasan
Gregorio "Gringo" Ballesteros Honasan II (, born March 14, 1948), is a Filipino politician and a cashiered Philippine Army officer who led unsuccessful coups d'état against President Corazon Aquino. He played a key role in the 1986 EDSA Rev ...
, who was implicated in the Oakwood mutiny, called for calm and sobriety.
*Sen.
Juan Miguel Zubiri
Juan Miguel "Migz" Fernandez Zubiri (; born April 13, 1969) is a Filipino businessman and politician serving as the President of the Senate of the Philippines, Senate President of the Philippines since July 25, 2022. Since 2016, he has been on ...
called on the government to begin the negotiation efforts. He suggested that Honasan is the "best person" to lead the negotiations.
*Senate Minority Leader
Aquilino Pimentel Jr.
Aquilino Quilinging Pimentel Jr. (, December 11, 1933 – October 20, 2019), commonly known as Nene Pimentel, was a Filipino politician and human rights lawyer who was one of the leading political opposition leaders during the regime of Ferdinan ...
, meanwhile, said he supports the calls for President Arroyo’s resignation but he said these should be done through peaceful means.
*Sen.
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
said the move of Trillanes reflects the "utter frustrations" of many Filipinos.
*Sen.
Manuel Roxas II, however, said any call for reforms should be done through legitimate programs and not through force.
*Justice Secretary
Raul Gonzalez said that President Arroyo will not declare a
state of emergency
A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...
because of the mutiny.
*Press Secretary
Ignacio Bunye
Ignacio Rivera Bunye (born April 19, 1945) is a Filipino public official who retired in 2014 as Monetary Board Member of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, a post he held since July 3, 2008. Prior to his appointment as monetary board member, he ...
said law enforcers were given internal guidelines on how to handle Trillanes and his group.
*
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The P ...
Chief General Hermogenes Esperon meanwhile said that they will take full measures to prevent any trouble in the area.
*
CBCP president and
Jaro Archbishop
Angel Lagdameo
Angel Nacorda Lagdameo ( la, Angelus Lagdameo; 2 August 1940 – 8 July 2022) was a Filipino bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Jaro from 9 May 2000 until 14 February 2018.
Life and career
Angel Lagdameo was born on 2 ...
stated that the standoff and curfew serve as preview to
Martial Law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
: "Yesterday and last night, the people holed-in at Peninsula Manila had a foretaste of what Martial Law could be. God save us from the worse!"
*The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP)
urd_Wang,_Manila_Correspondent_of_Guangming_Daily_of_China.html" ;"title="Guangming_Daily.html" ;"title="urd Wang, Manila Correspondent of Guangming Daily">urd Wang, Manila Correspondent of Guangming Daily of China">Guangming_Daily.html" ;"title="urd Wang, Manila Correspondent of Guangming Daily">urd Wang, Manila Correspondent of Guangming Daily of Chinastated in a letter to
Ignacio Bunye
Ignacio Rivera Bunye (born April 19, 1945) is a Filipino public official who retired in 2014 as Monetary Board Member of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, a post he held since July 3, 2008. Prior to his appointment as monetary board member, he ...
that the journalists arrested were "treated arbitrarily by authorities; We hope, that through your office, there will be no repetition of this deplorable action." The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said in a statement that the
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...
(PNP) treated the journalists as "enemies of the state. We protest in strongest terms the PNPs move to forcibly bring some journalists to the
National Capital Region Police Office
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is a division of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that has jurisdiction over Metro Manila, also known as the National Capital Region. It is headquartered in Camp Bagong Diwa.
History As PC ...
in Bicutan and condemn the confiscation of video footage of the day-long stand-off at the Manila Peninsula Hotel." Accordingly, the PNP leadership apologized to media representatives and crew, but it refused to accept that their response was "overkill".
*Mariano Garchitorena, the Manila Peninsula hotel’s public manager, stated that: Trillanes and company were gentlemen "To be fair di naman sila nag-abuso ng hotel namin (To be fair, they did not abuse our hotel staff). They were very gentlemanly in their act. They did not bother our staff and they did not bother our guests; He (Trillanes) assured us that they meant no harm to civilian to guests and all our staff of course."
*The Philippine Press Institute, in a statement, described the detention of mediamen as an “unprecedented assault on press freedom. Patently unconstitutional and carried out with such impunity that the innocent captives were treated like common criminals, cuffed, ordered to raise their hands in surrender, and bussed to the country's most notorious camp, Bagong Diwa, in Bicutan.”
*Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. agreed with Trillanes that there should be "reforms at the top; the rule of law must prevail in our people’s collective cry for reforms; Without a doubt we need reforms at the top. That is the reason we launched the moral revolution so the nation can retake the moral high ground and decisively move from the continuing crisis in our midst to a renewal of our values."
*Sen.
Jamby Madrigal
Maria Ana Consuelo Madrigal-Valade (born Maria Ana Consuelo Abad Santos Madrigal; April 26, 1958), better known as Jamby Madrigal, is a Filipina politician and businesswoman. She was elected as a senator in the 2004 elections. After only one ...
, who was the biggest campaign contributor of Trillanes when he ran for senator, did not visit Trillanes at
Camp Crame
Camp General Rafael T. Crame () is the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) located along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Quezon City. It is situated across EDSA from Camp Aguinaldo, the national headquarters of ...
detention center and parted ways: “Thank you, Sonny
rillanes’s nickname But let us just part ways."
International community
* Australia: The Australian Embassy cautioned their citizens and said, "Australians are advised to avoid the immediate area. Further demonstrations could occur over the weekend (December 1–2, 2007)"
* Canada: Canada's
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Global Affairs Canada (GAC; french: Affaires mondiales Canada; AMC)''Global Affairs Canada'' is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (). is the department ...
has posted a warning on its website for Canadians living in the Philippines to be careful with the implementation of the curfew.
* Singapore: Singapore has advised any Singaporeans in
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
to monitor any changes regarding the mutiny and to check in with the Singaporean embassy.
* United Kingdom: The British Embassy advised its nationals to exercise caution and take sensible precautions, and avoid large crowds and gatherings. The statement said, "You should exercise caution and take sensible precautions for your personal safety and avoid any large crowds, political gatherings and demonstrations. You should also keep yourself informed of developments and follow the advice of local authorities"
* United States: "The United States and the Philippines are long-time democratic allies and the US Embassy wishes to take this opportunity to reiterate our government's support for the rule of law, constitutional order, and the government of the Philippines; a statement from the
US Embassy
The United States has the second most diplomatic missions of any country in the world after Mainland China, including 166 of the 193 member countries of the United Nations, as well as observer state Vatican City and non-member countries Kosovo a ...
in Manila said, U.S. Ambassador
Kristie A. Kenney has spoken with officials at
Malacañan Palace to reiterate our confidence that this incident is swiftly and peacefully resolved by the
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...
, supported by the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The P ...
, in accordance with Philippine law." Kenney stated: "No, we do not support extra-constitutional means to change government, in the Philippines or anywhere else in the world, I think it's always disturbing when you see people behaving contrary to the rule of law and constitutional authority; Washington will continue to "remain a very, very strong ally" of Arroyo, who is President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
's key ally in the Southeast Asian theatre of the US-led "
war on terror
The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international Counterterrorism, counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campa ...
; "We want this country to move forward."
References
External links
ABS-CBN NewsPhilippine Daily Inquirer Oakwood Mutiny Backgrounder Destabilization efforts against the Arroyo administration Profile, Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV Profile, Brigadier General Danilo LimTranscript: Statement of Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, Magdalo soldier*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080202170320/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view_article.php?article_id=104160 Inquirer.net, Updated List of 50 Detainees as of 02:33am (Mla time) 12/01/2007]
Sun Star, Manila Peninsula Siege TIMELINE
{{Coup d'état
Rebellions in the Philippines
Conflicts in 2007
2007 in the Philippines
Mutinies
Presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
History of Metro Manila
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
November 2007 events in the Philippines