[Via... http://www.egroups.com/group/Communist-Internet ] . ----- Original Message ----- From: Downwithcapitalism <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, April 30, 2001 11:31 PM Subject: [downwithcapitalism] FW: Political Crisis in Manila (update) Reuters; Associated Press. 30 April 2001. Various reports, updated. MANILA Scuffles broke out between Philippine riot troops and some of the thousands of supporters of deposed leader Joseph Estrada who marched toward the presidential palace on Tuesday to demand the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The marchers pelted police ranks with missiles before breaking through the police barricade, witnesses said. Police swung their truncheons at the marchers and fired warning shots into the air, but were unable to hold back the horde of Estrada supporters. ... Many policemen dropped their plastic shields and ran off as the Estrada loyalists overpowered them and headed for the palace, which still lay about 7.5 miles away. "We are ready to die," some of them yelled. ...[S]hots rang out from the second line of riot police after some of the estimated 20,000 marchers a dump truck to break through an initial line of riot police who dropped their plastic shields and scattered. Volleys of shots later rang out from a second line of officers, and again when the crowds reached the palace and tried to force their way into the fenced compound. Some of the estimated 20,000 marchers had picked up the abandoned shields and raided a construction site for scrap wood to use as clubs. They then broke through a third police line, the last before a phalanx of heavily armed officers that waited at Mendiola, a key bridge entrance to the presidential palace. An Associated Press reporter saw at least four people who had been wounded by what appeared to be gunfire. A policeman, laying injured and bloody, was pelted with rocks by protesters. ... Newspapers have said opposition politicians and military officials plan a coup to install a civilian-military junta which would later call a snap presidential election. A presidential spokesman said intelligence reports indicated the plotters intended to use former military rebels involved in failed coup attempts in the 1980s as well as "criminal elements"in the power grab. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Monday that a coup attempt had fizzled overnight because of a lack of support. "Last night there was going to be a power grab but it fizzled out," Arroyo told a news conference, adding that she had rejected requests for talks from key Estrada supporters. "I said no, strike now so I can crush you," she said. SPAM TO FOLLOW Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ _______________________________________________ Marxist-Leninist-List mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/marxist-leninist-list
