Police Sieze Copies of Newspaper Criticizing President of Philippines

By: Police on Saturday arrested at least three vocal critics of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and raided the offices of a newspaper in an apparent crackdown on the political opposition after she declared a state of emergency to quash a coup plot.

Arroyo's declaration on Friday -- made as Filipinos celebrated the return of democracy 20 years ago when dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ousted by a "people power" revolt -- set off an uproar even from her most crucial ally, former president Fidel Ramos.

"I was appalled," said Ramos, a military commander who withdrew his support for Marcos, helping bring about his downfall.

Ramos stood by Arroyo at the height of a crisis that nearly unseated her last year. Now he has joined her critics, leaving her more isolated than ever.

Like others, he compared the emergency declaration to the martial-law dictates that Marcos used to stay in power and accused Arroyo of "killing the spirit" of "people power." He said Arroyo's declaration appeared to be an unjustified overreaction because no actual coup attempt occurred.

"President Arroyo has succeeded in giving Philippine democracy another big, ugly black eye," added Senate President Franklin Drilon.

Arroyo, who already had withstood two takeover tries and numerous other crises during five tumultuous years in power, made the declaration Friday after the military top brass announced they had stymied a plan by disgruntled troops to join pro-democracy protests aimed at forcing her to resign.

Arroyo has said the state of emergency was needed to prevent a breakdown in law and order. But imposing it was a dangerous move in a country still sensitive to threats to democracy long after Marcos' strongman rule.

"We call on the workers and poor to defy the terror of a creeping martial law and break the illegal state of emergency by launching protest actions in the streets, in the factories and in the communities," said the militant Workers' party. "The Filipino people ousted a dictator once, we can overthrow another tyrant again."

The government cancelled commemorations of the "people power" anniversary as the emergency declaration bans rallies, allows arrests without warrants, permits the president to call in the military to intervene and lets her take over facilities -- including media outlets -- that may affect national security.

Early Saturday, police barged into the offices of The Daily Tribune and confiscated editorial materials and a bundle of newspapers headlining Arroyo's declaration. Police were posted at the door, but it was not clear if they intended to close the office, publisher Ninez Cacho Olivarez said.

The newspaper, owned by Olivarez's family, has been among the most critical of Arroyo.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemned the raid "in the strongest words possible."

Also Saturday, Rep. Crispin Beltran, a member of the leftist Anakpawis party, was taken into custody for questioning. Local media said it was in connection with an old rebellion case.

Two former police generals were taken into custody at a golf course. One had previously urged Arroyo to resign, and the other backed Fernando Poe in the 2004 election won by Arroyo.

Shortly after Arroyo declared the state of emergency on Friday, riot police quickly used force to disperse two protests. They arrested 25 people, including political commentator Randy David, a respected professor who has asked Arroyo to resign.

The military has played major roles in two "people power" revolts and has a recent history of restiveness, so Arroyo ordered a massive security clampdown, with military camps barricaded to keep troops from joining demonstrations.

Military chiefs said they backed Arroyo and that they had eased the threat of a coup, but hadn't wiped it out completely.

Former Education Secretary Florencio Abad urged people to resist what he called growing repression of basic rights.

"My fear is this is going to isolate this government further and it will force ... Arroyo to rely more and more on extreme reactionary elements of military," Abad said.