'DINKY' SOLIMAN ARRESTED / DRILON OUSTS ATIENZA FROM LP
MANILA, March 18, 2006 (MANILA TIMES) Police arrested former social and welfare secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman in Manila Friday for allegedly holding a rally without a permit. Policewomen arrested Soliman and Black and White Movement convener Vicente Romano while walking in Rajah Sulayman Park in Malate.Soliman and Romano, both clad in black T-shirts, said they saw no need to get a rally permit, because they only wanted to walk in the park. They had no anti-Arroyo banners but the prints on their shirts read: “Patalsikin na, now na.”
Soliman’s group, made up of about 50 people, tried to go to the Baywalk on Roxas Boulevard after massing at a nearby restaurant. There was a slight scuffle as the officers picked up Soliman and took her to a police precinct near the park. Along with Romano she was later taken to the Manila police headquarters on UN Avenue.
“This is part of our group’s regular protest action that we call Black Friday. We did it at the LRT stations,” Soliman said. Soliman, one of President Arroyo’s close associates, resigned with nine other Cabinet officials at the height of calls for the President to quit last year. --Jonathan Vicente and ABC-CBN Interactive
Police arrest, link ex-cabinet secretary, two others to foiled coup 03/18 1:33:27 PM
(PHILIPPINE STAR)MANILA (AP) - Police on Friday arrested a former Cabinet secretary for illegal assembly and two suspected followers of a former senator wanted for his alleged role in last month's thwarted coup, officials said.
Former Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman and activist Vicente Romano were arrested for leading a silent protest in Manila of about 30 people wearing T-shirts bearing the slogan "Oust Now," apparently calling for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to resign. Police said they were arrested for holding a rally without a permit at a popular tree-lined promenade on the edge of Manila Bay.
"We are not holding a rally, we are just strolling. We are not disturbing anyone, we don't even have placards," Soliman said.
Police plan to file an illegal assembly complaint against Soliman and Romano, and a prosecutor is expected to conduct inquest proceedings Friday night, Metropolitan Manila police chief Director Vidal Querol said by telephone.
Separately, police arrested Ricardo Pauso and Melchor Lobete, both members of a civilian-military fraternity known as the Guardians Brotherhood Inc., Friday in northern Bulacan province, Querol said. Police seized several high-powered weapons, including rifle grenades and magazines for M-16 rifles, from the men.
Former Senator Gregorio Honasan, accused by the government of playing a role in last month's thwarted coup, is a faction leader of the Guardians. "We are checking if they are followers of ex-Senator Honasan because the Guardians have mutated into several factions," Querol said. "They are not giving a definitive statement."
Querol said the men were carrying Guardian membership cards and apparently spurious cards identifying them as military intelligence agents. Honasan, a former army colonel, has not been seen in public since last month. After leading coup attempts against then-President Corazon Aquino in 1987 and 1989, the government granted him amnesty in 1995. He has since been charged in a mutiny by about 300 junior officers and personnel from elite military units in July 2003.
Arroyo imposed a weeklong state of national emergency last month to quash a coup plot that allegedly involved disgruntled soldiers, communist rebels and civilian backers.
Soliman released after arrest pending probe: report 03/18 2:12:04 PM (STAR)
Former Cabinet Secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman was released Friday night after being detained, according to media reports.
Soliman was leading a small group of opposition members in a protest when she was picked up by police for "illegal assembly," members of her group said.
She was later released together with Black and White Movement activist Vicente Romano III pending further investigation into their case.
Earlier, former president Corazon Aquino had visited Soliman at the Manila Police District MPD headquarters where the ex-Cabinet secretary had been held.
Soliman was among 10 cabinet secretaries who quit Arroyo's government last year and subsequently called for the president's ouster over allegations she cheated in the May 2004 polls.
Drilon to Atienza: ‘Keep Manila, I have Cavite’ By Patricia Esteves, Reporter (MANILA TIMES)
It was Senate President Franklin Drilon’s turn to expel Mayor Lito Atienza of Manila from the Liberal Party on Friday.
Convening an LP national political council meeting in General Trias, Cavite, Drilon said Atienza, Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor and two other top party officials were considered resigned from the party for holding a rump convention and election of officers on March 2.
In that convention Atienza replaced Drilon as party president, saying Drilon had ceased to represent the majority of the party members. Drilon was in a fighting mood Friday. “Inyo na ang [Manila] City Hall, amin na ang Cavite [You can have City Hall, but we have Cavite],” he said. Atienza dismissed his expulsion, saying he still is a party member.
Liberal all his life
“They cannot expel me. I have been a Liberal all my life,” Atienza told ABS-CBN New Channel. He said Drilon’s action was meant to prevent the mayor’s group from convening the LP National Executive Council on Wednesday.
Also dropped from the rolls were Gov. Sally Perez of Antique, Rep. Harlincast Abayon of Northern Samar and Gov. Armand Sanchez of Batangas, all of whom belong to the Drilon camp. Drilon said the purge of Atienza and other people who are allies of President Arroyo will inject new vigor into the 60-year-old party.
A long legal battle
Drilon expects a long legal battle with Atienza. “We have to admit that it will reach the courts and it will be a legal question filed at the Comelec or the Supreme Court,” Drilon told reporters after the meeting.
He also announced minor changes on the LP list of officers. Rep. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd of Tarlac was elected LP vice-chairman, replacing Pangilinan. Sen. Mar Roxas was voted LP executive vice-president for platforms, policies and advocacies. Rep. Neric Acosta of Bukidnon, the executive vice-president, is now vice secretary-general.
The General Trias meeting was subdued compared with the rowdy Manila Hotel convention. Most of those who attended were members of the LP’s Cavite chapter, led by Gov. Ayong Malicsi of Cavite.
Only if GMA calls a snap election
Drilon, an Arroyo ally before siding with her opponents last year, said he will call for an election in the Liberal Party only if the President calls a snap election. --With Ronnie E. Calumpita
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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