Security forces monitoring activities of government critics

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines  – Security forces are closely monitoring the activities of anti-government groups seeking to duplicate the 1986 bloodless coup that toppled the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

EDSA 2.22.15 Coalition, composed of multi-sectoral and religious groups, is reportedly planning to fill the stretch of EDSA from Santolan to the EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong with supporters in a bid to force the President to step down just like what happened 29 years ago.

“What coup? There are no active members of the uniformed services involved in that movement,” a security official said.

He added that what they monitored was that some retired military and police officers were supporting the EDSA 2.22.15 Coalition.

The group is also behind moves to convince families of the 44 policemen slain in Mamasapano to join the movement against the Aquino administration.

But retired Air Force general and president of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1972 Celso Castro said that while the issue is political, it was ill-timed because President Aquino has less than two years left in office.

“Who will take over?... Whatever it is, we are out of it,” Castro said.

The Army leadership also dismissed any participation of active members in the planned power grab.

Army spokesman Col. Noel Detoyato, for his part, said the troops are too preoccupied in the field in their respective tasks and missions to involve themselves in political issues.

“It’s a political move. No active military members are party to that,” Detoyato said.

Former national security adviser Norberto Gonzales warned that the public should not discount the possibility that the rumored coup plot could be coming from Malacañang itself to protect the administration. – With Non Alquitran, Paolo Romero, Rey Galupo, Michael Punongbayan