Mendiola massacre remembered. Displaced farmers from Quezon province camp out at the Department of Agrarian Reform office in Quezon City in preparation for protest rallies on Jan. 22 to mark the 1987 killing of farmer protesters.
5 soldiers arrested
AFP says ‘plotters’ belong to Lim’s group
BY VICTOR REYES
FIVE active and discharged soldiers
allegedly involved in a plot to destabilize government
were arrested Tuesday in Quezon City, the military said
yesterday.
A military report said the five are
members of Para sa Bayan, a group said to be headed by
Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, former Scout Ranger commander who
is facing court martial along with 27 other officers for
a supposed power grab plot in February 2006.
The military identified one active
soldier as Cpl. Redante Maranan and the four discharged
soldiers as Sgt. Orlando Valencia and Corporals Walter
Francisco, Ramon Perania, and Kim Agas.
Priest abducted, killed
in Tawi-tawi; Abu Sayyaf hand seen
BY RAYMOND AFRICA
TEN hooded gunmen abducted a Catholic
priest and a teacher in Tawi-Tawi Tuesday night and killed
the priest during police pursuit operations.
Chief Supt. Joel Goltiao, chief of
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police, yesterday
said Fr. Rey Roda of the Oblate of Mary Immaculate and
director of the Notre Dame of Tabawan in South Ubian,
Tawi-Tawi, sustained gunshot wounds in the body.
"The reports indicated that Fr. Roda
resisted and he was gunned down and killed," Goltiao said.
THE Presidential Security Group went on red
alert Tuesday afternoon following reports of another
destabilization move against the Arroyo administration, but the
Palace said it would be "business as usual."
PSG commander Brig. Gen. Romeo Prestoza said
the red alert took effect 5 p.m. Tuesday. It will be lifted if
proven there are no serious threats.
He said based on initial findings, the
destabilization reports "appear to have basis."
