FINAL REPORT - Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

-- Marieta Santos likewise testified in the Senate on further details of the
progeny of the Garci Tapes
February 24, 2006 –
o Presidential Proclamation 1017 issued;
o the offices of The Daily Tribune and of Abante and Abante
Tonight were raided; materials were seized; a PNP team was
posted in the premises of Tribune 54 ;
o the military deployed troops to the compounds of TV networks
ABS-CBN and GMA 7 55
o Chief of Staff Michael Defensor announced that media
organizations face risks of being taken over by the government,
saying: “[Closing down a media outfit] depends on how it (an
interview) will be carried out. We hope at this point there will be no
interviews that will be put out relating to the extreme Right and Left
in the present situation.” 56
o Hours after Ms Arroyo’s declaration, “Ngayon na Bayan!” lost its
block time on dzRJ.
o EDSA rally dispersed; Ayala p.m. rally dispersed in the evening
o DOJ filed non-bailable charges of coup d’etat vs. Honasan, et al.
o PNP SAF chief Chief Supt. Marcelino Franco placed under house
arrest; three others – Senior Supt. Benjamin Magalong, Chief Insp.
Ericson Dilag, and Insp. Ryan Paloma -- were placed under
“restrictive custody” for alleged participation in an attempted coup
d’etat
February 25, 2006 – Rep. Crispin Beltran was arrested in Bulacan
February 26, 2006 – a six-hour Marine stand-off transpired at Fort Bonifacio,
resulting from the relief of Marine General Renato Miranda following the
decision of his subordinate Marine Col. Ariel Querubin (together with First
Scout Rangers Gen. Danilo Lim) to join EDSA 1 street protest marches
“Hordes of civilians tried to join the crowd, but were kept at bay by
antiriot members of the National Capital Region Command and Southern
Police District who set up barricades on Lawton Avenue fronting the
Marine headquarters.
Former President Corazon Aquino herself was stopped at Gate 3 of
Fort Bonifacio on Pasong Tamo Extension, some 300 meters from Gates 7
and 8 of the Marine headquarters, on orders of PNP Director Vidal Querol.”
54
55
56
“Tribune seeks high court’s intervention,” PDI, February 28, 2006, second Frontpage
“Tighening The Screws,” Cyril L. Bonabente, PDI Research, PDI-Opinion, March 19, 2006, pA14
ibid.
137