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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1986)
Monday, February 24, 1986/The Battalion/Page 5 Rebels gaining strength (continued from page 1) and demanded his resignation. They said Marcos had cheated Aquino out of victory in the Feb. 7 presidential election and that she should be al lowed to take over as president. Thousands of people poured into the streets around Camp Crame, where Enrile, Ramos and their sup porters were entrenched. Marines loyal to Marcos had dispersed seve ral hundred civilians in a dawn as sault Monday at Camp Aguinaldo, across the street from Camp Crame, but they did not move against the massive crowd that some estimated at 60,000 people. There also were crowds near the palace. Enrile, in a radio broadcast over Radio Veritas after Marcos ap peared on television, urged people to stay in the streets in support of the rebels. “We have to fight for our country now,” Enrile said. “We need to organize so we can fight Marcos and get him out.” Radio Veritas, the Roman Catho lic church station, put Enrile and Ra mos on the air and they claimed that “tyranny” had been defeated. An an nouncer at the station, which has been a staunch critic of Marcos, then said Marcos was leaving the country. Aquino, also in a broadcast on Ra dio Veritas, said she had been told Marcos had left the country and would stop in Guam. It was then that Marcos went on Channel 4 to deny those reports. “Don’t believe any of these sto ries,” said Marcos, calling the reports “propaganda lies they are peddling through the airwaves.” “They are completely without ba sis. They are intended to frighten our people.” He then ordered the armed forces to “use all necessary force” to defend their installations. He directed troopers to use small arms to defend themselves, but said large weapons like tanks and ar mored personnel carriers should not be employed “as yet.” “I appeal to civilians to get out of the line of fire,” Marcos said. “We are in a state of emergency, and the government gives notice to all public utilities that they can be taken over by the government. This is not mar tial law, this is an emergency situa tion.” Associated Press reporter Reuben G. Alebastro said rebel troops were deployed around the Channel 4 building, which is several miles from Marcos’ palace. People at the scene told Alebastro they had heard gunfire in the area, and he overheard one rebel soldier reporting to an officer that some of his men had been wounded. An Associated Press correspon dent said some soldiers at the presi dential palace were wearing white armbanos, but they refused to talk with journalists. Rebels have said sol diers wishing to surrender or join the revolt should wear white bands. At Camp Crame, reporters were unable to reach Ramos and Enrile after the Marcos broadcast. But Col. R. O. Odi told the AP that their ear lier claims concerning the collapse of Marcos’ government were “opti mistic statements, based on the hope that the people will stay out on the streets to block any attempt by Mar cos troops to come to the camp.” Earlier, Radio Veritas had broad cast announcements by Enrile and Ramos announcing what they called “the real story of the successful revo lution.” In Washington, President Reagan met with top foreign policy advisers and, in his strongest message yet to Marcos, threatened to cut off U.S. military aid if Marcos used force against his opponents. White House spokesman Larry Speakes said Sunday evening, “The president appealed earlier today to President Marcos to avoid an attack against other elements of the Phil ippine armed forces. Regrettably, there are now reports of an attack.” “Don’t believe any of these stories. They are com pletely without basis. They are intended to frighten our people. ” — Ferdinand Marcos, commenting Monday on radio reports he had lied the Philippines. Speakes said Reagan sent Marcos a message through diplomatic chan nels saying America “cannot con tinue our existing military assistance if the government uses that aid against other elements of the Phil ippine military that enjoy popular backing.” An official at the U.S. Embassy said, “I don’t have any confirmation that he (Marcos) has left.” He added that events are “more fluid this morning than they were yesterday.” The official, contacted by phone, spoke on condition of anonymity. In Washington, U.S. State Depart ment spokesman Warren Magruder said, “We’ve heard those reports (of Marcos leaving) too, but we can’t confirm them.” Government television continued to broadcast hours-old statements by Marcos on its regular news program. Manila Cardinal Jaime Sin, with out acknowledging the possible suc cess of the rebellious forces, urged Radio Veritas’ listeners to be calm. “Thank the Lord we are still al ive,” he said. At 6 a.m., marines evidently act ing under Marcos’ orders attacked opposition supporters who were act ing as a human barricade around two suburban Manila military bases where the rebels have been en trenched since Saturday. Using tear gas and truncheons, the marines entered Camp Agui naldo, but not Camp Crame across the street, where Ramos and Enrile have set up their rebel headquarters. Associated Press reporter Alex Caw said at about the time of the military attack on Camp Aguinaldo, hundreds of soldiers cheered and a crowd outside applauded as defect ing air force men arrived aboard seven helicopters at Camp Crame. In the first flight of four helicopt ers to land, a man aboard one waved a white flag and about 24 military men left the aircraft as rebel national police manning the headquarters camp applauded. Air force officials refused com ment on the helicopters’ arrival, but a police sergeant, Eduardo Sanchez, said the air force men had come “to protect General Ramos and Minister Enrile.” Marcos went on television at mid night Sunday and accused Enrile and Ramos of seeking power for themselves rather than for Aquino, the opposition leader. Enrile and Ramos have insisted since they began their rebellion Sat urday that Marcos stole the special presidential election by fraud and demanded he step down. Enrile told reporters he talked with Marcos by telephone Sunday and planned to talk with him again “to convince him that the matter has reached a point where the bottom line is for him to step down.” Enrile said he rejected an offer from Marcos of amnesty from pros ecution in exchange for surrender. Aquino, who was in Cebu City in the central Philippines when the re bellion began, lef t Sunday for an un disclosed location. Before leaving, she told reporters she would at some point visit Enrile and Ramos at their camp, and called on “decent el ements” of the armed forces to sup port them. Jaime Ongpin, a businessman close to the Aquino camp, said a pro posal was made for a committee of two generals from each side and a mediator to try to negotiate an end to the standoff. Enrile and Ramos have said they won’t start a battle with pro-Marcos troops but if attacked will fight back to the death. In an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Marcos said he had the support of more than 90 percent of the military. But Ramos, speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” said he and Enrile were supported by some members of Marcos’ palace guard. Some staff of armed forces chief Gen. Fabian Ver. Ramos said Saturday that 90 percent of the Philippines Constabulary, which he heads, also support him. Marcos, asked on “Meet the Press” if he would arrest Ramos and Enrile, replied, “We will quietly put them aside ... if they survive what may be a bloody confrontation.” SEMESTER IN SPAIN Not just for Spanish majors only, but for everyone: beginners, “in between” students, and advanced. Put some excitement into your college career!! BEGINNER OR ADVANCED - Cost is about the same as a semester in a U.S. college:$3,670. Price includes jet round trip to Seville from New York, room, board, and tuition com plete. Government grants and loans may be applied towards our programs. 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F-9 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506 (A Program of Trinity Christian College) Center for Retailing Studies INVITED LECTURE SERIES Bob Marbut President and Chief Executive Officer Harte-Hanks Communication, Inc. 'Retailing & Print Media - A New Ballgame ; Tuesday, February 25 9:30-10:30 a.m, Room 102, John R. Blocker Building Reception following in Room 613A Blocker «K Students, Faculty & Members of the Community Invited MSC All Night Fair celebrates 150 years of Texas with Miller and KORA March 8 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Memorial Student Center Featuring The Executives l-tex Bobolinks 5-8 p.m. 7-11 p.m 10 p.m.-2 a.m Carnival Booths • Dancing • Hayrides Contests & Prizes • BBQ Cafe Battalion Classified 845-2611