an update on the s.o.e.

a couple of updates on the situation:

• the state of emergency (proclamation 1017), as of today, has not been lifted yet. pres. arroyo is planning to meet with her economic and security advisors to decide whether or not to lift it.
• several petitions have been made to the supreme court of the philippines to strike down proclamation 1017; these petitions are questioning the legality of the proclamation (whether the whole thing is constitutional or not). in the meantime, a request for a temporary restraining order against the state of emergency has been denied.
• during the state of emergency, police raided an anti-administration newspaper, the daily tribune. this is a newspaper that is obviously against pres. arroyo and has been for a long time. (and it isn't just the opinion section -- look at the stories they run.) an online version of the newspaper is here. because of this and other incidents, a lot of people (in the philippines and abroad) are condemning the state of emergency because it is attacking freedom of the press.
  
• there was also a brief standoff involving several marines against the arroyo administration in fort bonifacio. the colonel that led this was protesting the sacking of his commanding general, and he was calling on civilians to gather around this area in protest. not a lot of people showed up, so these marines backed down.
  
• several civilians, congressmen, and military personnel have been charged with rebellion and conspiracy to overthrow the government. these include gregorio "gringo" honasan (who has been implicated in many coup attempts going back to the aquino administration), reps. satur ocampo , teodoro casino, and joel virador of bayan muna, rep. liza maza of gabriela, and jose ma. sison, the self-exiled leader of the communist party of the philippines (who have an armed wing, the new people's army).

more to come as it develops....