It seemed like everyone was in alert level yesterday. I haven't caught the whole details of yesterday's news but what I heard and the text messages that I got were somehow alarming.Some were speculating about the possibility of coup d' etat.
After knowing that there's a curfew which will start at 12 midnight till 5 am, everyone in the office hurriedly went home after the shift.
Seemed like everything was okay on our way home. Nothing unusual or whatsoever... however I don't know what the place looked like at the strike of midnight.
Gov’t imposes curfew in Metro Manila, nearby provinces
By Michael Lim Ubac, Christine Avendaño, Alcuin Papa
Inquirer
Last updated 03:18am (Mla time) 11/30/2007
MANILA, Philippines -- In a move that brought back memories of Ferdinand Marcos’ harsh rule, Malacañang on Thursday night imposed a midnight-to-dawn curfew in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, hours after repelling another challenge to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s leadership.
Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon said the midnight-to-5 a.m. curfew would cover “all citizens,” except those responding to emergencies or who had valid reasons to be out of their homes during the night.
Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said at a press conference the curfew would be implemented in Metro Manila and all the provinces, municipalities and cities in Central Luzon (Region 3) and Southern Tagalog (Region 4-a).
“Hopefully the curfew will be limited overnight, (or) one day,” said Puno.
The late dictator Marcos imposed a nationwide curfew when he proclaimed martial law in September 1972.
Malacañang invoked the “police power of the state” and announced the curfew shortly after repulsing a fresh challenge to the Arroyo presidency hurled by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and their supporters, who had occupied portions of the Manila Peninsula hotel in Makati City.
Puno said members of the media would be allowed to venture out into the streets as long as they presented valid identification cards.
People who have no business being in the streets in the wee hours of the morning should stay indoors, and public transport should also stop plying their routes, he said.
But delivery trucks can continue their operations, as well as commercial establishments that operate at night.
“We won’t enter establishments. Our curfew is only in the streets,” Puno said.
He said the government resorted to the measure to allow authorities to eliminate residual threats following the Makati standoff.
Puno was optimistic that authorities could finish by Friday its investigation, including identifying those involved in the “rebellion,” so that there would not be any need to extend the curfew.
“I hope that this is to be the last time that we’re going to be having to do with situations like this,” he said.
Local curfews
Puno said that depending on the outcome of operations, the government might re-impose the curfew Friday night.
“But my hunch is the curfew would be only until today,” he said at a Palace briefing.
Puno said Ms Arroyo authorized the curfew after “we requested” for its imposition to allow the police to do its follow-up operations.
Puno and Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said local governments and even barangays (villages) could impose curfews in their areas.
“But because of the magnitude and scope (of the situation), it needs the authority of the President,” Gonzalez said.
He said the government’s move to impose the curfew was a “constitutional authority.”
Puno said the PNP had been directed to issue the curfew guidelines as he sought the cooperation of the public.
More checkpoints
The PNP, he said, will put up checkpoints in areas affected by the curfew and those found travelling during the curfew will be subjected to “serious scrutiny.”
“The curfew is for the safety of the citizens not to inconvenience them,” Puno said. At one point, he said the curfew was a “necessary inconvenience.”
He pledged that authorities would be “reasonable and respectful” and asked those who would be subjected to scrutiny to make sure they had proper identification and were not carrying weapons “because it would be an immediate reason for detention.”
Puno discouraged bus and other transport owners from operating during the curfew time.
Asked why the curfew was also imposed in the regions outside Metro Manila, Puno said this was because Regions 3 and 4a were “closely linked” to Metro Manila and that the police authorities wanted to ensure that “the entire Metro Manila is safe and sound.”
Message to the world
In a televised address, Ms Arroyo said in Filipino: “We have repeatedly proved to the world the stability of our democratic institutions and the strength of this government. Our strong Republic depends on a strong economy which the whole nation desires.”
Ms Arroyo congratulated police enforcers, with the help of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, for the speedy resolution of the Peninsula hotel crisis.
“I have ordered that all residual threats should be eliminated, so that the rule of law and and peace and order can be effectively implemented,” said Ms Arroyo.
Act of rebellion
Puno and Gonzalez described the Trillanes-Lim action as a “rebellion.”
Ms Arroyo said no one should doubt the government’s resolve to implement the rule of law.
“The prosecution of rebel soldiers will be pursued until its conclusion according to law,” she said.
She disclosed that more charges were being readied against the rebel soldiers, among others.
Strangers in the night
Malacañang had insisted on ending the Peninsula standoff before nightfall.
“There are strangers in the night,” Gonzalez quipped.
Gonzalez said it was a situation that “could ripen to a serious case” and that the Palace did not want this situation to escalate.
Gonzalez told reporters that Trillanes and Lim went to the hotel to “generate public support” so as to eventually get support from the military “because no military action can win without public support.”
He said that Trillanes and Lim’s actions were connected with Friday’s planned mass protest actions by the militant Kilusang Makabansang Ekonomista, which had called on the people to turn their back against the “morally bankrupt government.”
Gonzalez said the government did not want the situation “to escalate.”
Others involved
National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales revealed he had received intelligence reports about a plan by “certain elements still entertaining” the idea of destabilizing the government.
Gonzales said these elements did not want to wait for the presidential election in 2010 and had planned to take action “this week.”
Among those said to be taking part in this alleged new destabilization attempt was Trillanes and that those involved numbered 15-20 individuals, including some “surprising names,” he said.
Asked who these surprising names were, Gonzales said he didn’t want to identify them but these were “decent people” and that they were not identified with either the government or the opposition.
He said Trillanes and Lim’s actions were “organized” and “planned.”
Caught off guard
“I feel bad about this. I might have failed to appreciate the significance of the (intelligence) report,” Gonzales said.
Asked why he did not take the report seriously, Gonzales said it was because it seemed unbelievable that a new destabilization attempt would be launched against the government when political parties were now holding conventions and preparing for the 2010 presidential campaign.
Although caught off-guard by the Trillanes-Lim action, Malacañang tried to downplay it. But they warned that the government would apply the full force of the law if the situation deteriorated.
“Let me just say we have faced a more serious situation before which we handled successfully,” said Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye.
“The President appeared very cool and calm as she issued her directives,” Bunye said.
To prove that Ms Arroyo was convinced that authorities could contain the incident, Bunye said her official visit to Spain and United Kingdom from Dec. 2 to 7 would push through.
“That’s how confident we are,” Bunye said.
Visit cut short
Ms Arroyo had abruptly cut short her trip to Laguna province and hurried back to Malacañang by helicopter on learning of the Peninsula incident.
Ms Arroyo had just finished her speech at a security summit at Villa Escudero in San Pablo City, announcing to her audience that she was heading next for the nearby Franklin Baker plant.
She never got to inspect the plant.
As her convoy was driving to the plant, news of the Peninsula incident broke.
goodbye from Violet
Yesterday my student, Violet said goodbye for our last phone class. I wasn't expecting it and I wasn't able to hold back my tears. I was touched by her farewell. We're not close and I thought she's kinda cold and a know-it-all but maybe this kid just need understanding. Maybe I found at least a purpose in my work. I'm glad by the experience that I got in this kind of job. Maybe somehow I've touched a life of someone.
Anyway, life's like that. People come and go and I guess the best that we can do is enjoy the journey and the moment spend with people we meet along the way.
I know deep down inside I'm grateful for knowing her. Maybe she's one of the people whom I met along the way whom I won't forget.
