Cardinal Sin declares mutiny ‘immoral’

The rebel soldiers calling themselves the Magdalo Group are "immoral," Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin said yesterday as he shepherded Filipinos to the EDSA Shrine to keep vigil to protect the country’s democracy.

"The enemies of our peace are sowing lies and using terroristic means to take power. The Magdalo Group is immoral. God will not bless those who sow violence and spread lies," Sin said.

Magdalo was the political party of the country’s first president, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. He had wrested power from the Magdiwang party of Andres Bonifacio, who led the Filipino revolution against the Spanish colonizers.

Sin called on the public not to support the mutineers.

"Go to EDSA now. Let us pray. Let us keep vigil. Let us protect our democracy. We must stand guard against these plotters," Sin said. He had called priests and nuns in his jurisdiction to a meeting at his residence in Villa San Miguel in Mandaluyong City last Saturday, warning of the impending coup, which was launched several hours later.

Pro-administration groups have been gathering at the EDSA Shrine since Saturday night. As of late afternoon yesterday, there were only about 300 people — mostly nuns, policemen and soldiers — at the shrine.

Church organizers said the cordon placed around the shrine prevented pro-administration groups from gathering at the shrine, though the cordon was actually designed to stop anti-administration rallyists.

Political rallies have been banned from being staged at EDSA Shrine, apparently to prevent a repeat of the "EDSA III" launched by supporters of ousted President Joseph Estrada in May 2001.

EDSA Shrine rector and Manila Auxiliary Bishop Socrates Villegas said the shrine could only be used as a place to pray or worship.

"We invite the priests, the nuns, and anyone from Catholic organizations or a parish delegation to come to the EDSA Shrine to pray for peace… We can’t solve anything by violence," he said in an interview.

Villegas, however, asked those coming to the shrine to bring identifying streamers so they could be allowed entry. He backed the strong stance taken by President Arroyo against the rogue soldiers, who were given until 5 p.m. yesterday to surrender. This was later extended to 7 p.m.

Hundreds of policemen were deployed along the roads leading to the shrine to block advancing rallyists.

National Capital Regional Police Office chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco said they would not let "uninvited people" come near the shrine.

Velasco also asked the public to "stay calm" because the rebel soldiers who took over the Oakwood Premier building in Makati’s business district have already been "contained" by military troops.

Velasco added that the Philippine National Police (PNP) strongly supports the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in its efforts to subdue the renegade soldiers.

"We support the AFP… But since the renegades (belong to the AFP), it will be the AFP that will resolve this," he said. — With Jose Aravilla