Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo lifted a week-old state of emergency yesterday, after her security advisers assured her that the threat of a coup had eased.
"I am happy to report that we have dismantled the sabotage efforts," Arroyo said in a nationally televised address. "I strongly believe that law and order has returned."
Arroyo declared the emergency on Feb. 24 to quash a coup plot allegedly involving disgruntled soldiers, communist rebels and civilian backers. On Thursday, the defense, justice and police chiefs said they would recommend lifting the decree because the situation was normalizing.
"It is important for our political opponents and the opportunists to stop this nuisance to our economy and embarrassment to the Philippines caused by these useless charades," Arroyo said.
"I will never tolerate this kind of adventurism. No matter how many times, I will act with steadfastness and determination each time our enemies undermine our nation and the economy," she said.
Former president Fidel Ra-mos, whose support was critical when Arroyo survived a political crisis several months ago, said lifting the decree "would pre-empt further, more serious action on the part of the restive military and police components."
But he warned the situation in the country has not stabilized and the threat against Arroyo's government still remains.
Opposition and civil activists have warned that political freedoms were being eroded under the state of the emergency.
Authorities have filed criminal charges against at least 51 opposition members, military personnel and others for trying to overthrow the president. They include five left-wing lawmakers who sought refuge at the House of Representatives and refused to be interviewed by police.
"Many subversives and some police and soldiers have been arrested," Arroyo said. "Our justice system will deal with them."
Civil libertarians, lawyers, businessmen and media groups have expressed concerns over a string of warrantless arrests, a ban on rallies and a raid on a critical newspaper.
Left-wing Representative Teodoro Casino, one of six lawmakers charged with rebellion, called the end of Arroyo's decree a "cosmetic" move amid all the flak generated by her emergency proclamation. He and four of the other legislators have been holed up in the House of Representatives building to avoid arrest.
"So what? We still cannot go out of Congress, we still have a lousy president and the military and police are still after `the enemies of the state,'" he said.
"She lifted it to escape the snowballing protest against the proclamation. It's cosmetic, but in a way it's a victory, because she was forced to lift it," he said.
US embassy spokesman Matthew Lussenhop welcomed the end of the state of emergency, saying: "We look forward to continuing to deepen our cooperation on important issues we both face like counterterrorism, regional cooperation, defense reform, economic development and so on."
Arroyo said she had been forced to declare the emergency because "there was a clear and present danger to the republic."
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