Sources told The STAR yesterday the top brass fear that the younger brother of opposition Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago is recruiting military officers to join a coup plot against President Arroyo.
For six nights now, Santiago has been instigating pro-Estrada rallyists encamped in front of Our Lady of EDSA Shrine at Ortigas and Epifanio de los Santos avenues in Mandaluyong City to storm Malacañang to force Mrs. Arroyo to step down.
Defensor was said to have tried to convince Vice Adm. Victoriano Hingco, Navy-flag-officer-in-Command, midnight Sunday to defect to the Estrada camp.
But Defensor dismissed the reports as "wild speculations" that are part of a disinformation campaign to humiliate him and his sister.
On the other hand, Air Force spokesman Col. Lino Lapinid told The STAR Mrs. Arroyo does not doubt Defensor’s loyalty or she would have relieved him.
"He is still the (Air Force) commanding general," he said.
Lapinid said some Air Force officers feared that Defensor would be relieved last Sunday when Mrs. Arroyo called him to Malacañang.
Villamor Air Base, the Air Force headquarters in Pasay City, is being closely monitored for any unauthorized movements of troops and aircraft.
Since last week, the air base has been closed to civilians.
However, Armed Forces chief Gen. Diomedio Villanueva told ABS-CBN News Channel yesterday the Arroyo administration has the "100 percent" support of the military top brass.
"I have trust and confidence in the men...," he said. "I acknowledge the fact that our soldiers are professionals. They won’t just accept money in exchange for their careers."
Villanueva said the Armed Forces has placed troops on alert as a "precautionary measure" against any eventuality. – Christina Mendez, Rey Arquiza