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124-797: On July 27, 2003, the Oakwood mutiny was staged by a group of about 300 armed defectors from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) led by Army Capt. Gerardo Gambala and Navy Lt. Senior Grade Antonio Trillanes IV against the Arroyo administration . The group forcibly seized and occupied Oakwood Premier in Glorietta , Makati for almost 20 hours. They expressed grievances against

248-600: A Cebu Pacific flight for Manila and were monitored to have proceeded to Virramall Shopping Center in Greenhills, San Juan . On the same day several Scout Rangers were also reported surveying the Makati business district. Moreover, a group of Scout Rangers and members of the Philippine Marines boarded Superferry 2 from Zamboanga City for Manila via Iloilo City . The troop movement was being monitored and it

372-543: A "Blood Compact" ritual among the RAM recruits on June 12, 2003, in a safehouse located in San Juan , Metro Manila , allegedly presided over by Gregorio Honasan . In the meeting, Honasan discussed his NRP agenda and “ The Last Revolution ”, concluding that "the only means to achieve that platform or vision is through the use of force, violence, or armed struggle" . The bloodletting rite was administered to those who membership in

496-831: A close working relationship with the Philippine National Police and the MILF-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) in the pursuit of peace in the Bangsamoro . In 2016, the AFP clashed with the Maute group on Butig on February , late May to early June, and on November of 2016. Under President Rodrigo Duterte in May 2017, the AFP thwarted the ISIS militants' attempt to establish

620-590: A company named Car Option Sales, Inc. One bus was later found in Oakwood while another was abandoned in Binakayan, Cavite . There is also evidence that some communications equipment used by the rebel soldiers were of the same specifications as those proposed to be acquired under the AFP Modernization Act . It was established that such equipment was not taken from any known or existing inventory of

744-566: A foothold in the Philippines in the five-month-long siege to retake Marawi from militant occupation. The AFP called President Duterte to declare Martial Law under Proclamation No. 216 . Additionally, the AFP and the NTF-ELCAC were at the forefront of Duterte's intensified campaign against the communist rebellion; by the of Duterte's term, the AFP reported the reduction of NPA guerrilla fronts from 89 to 23, and only 2,000 remained of more than 25,000 "members, supporters, and sympathizers of

868-661: A full alert status for the PNP National Headquarters in Camp Crame , effective 6:00 pm on July 22, 2003. There was also an order to reinforce the guards at Camp Crame. It further appears that the intelligence community had been receiving reports that Honasan had been holding sessions with the members of the Magdalo group in Metro Manila and Sangley Point , Cavite . Information on these sessions

992-554: A gold marshal's baton and a unique uniform. The Army of the Philippines included naval and air assets directly reporting to Army headquarters, and the Philippine Constabulary, later part of the ground forces proper as a division. In 1938 the Constabulary Division was separated from the army and reorganized into a national police force. The administration of the military throughout the islands

1116-585: A male customer went to the International Flag House (IFH) in Manila and placed a job order for 100 pieces each of Philippine flags and Aguinaldo flags (i.e., displaying the Magdalo symbol). He deposited P1,000.00 for the job order, the total cost of which was P24,000.00. The customer wrote his name on Job Order 2186 as Armand Pontejos and his telephone number as 456-3222. Subsequent additional orders were placed for more flags, which orders raised

1240-532: A member of PMA '95, called his classmate Trillanes to ask him about the veracity of reports that the latter was a leader of a rebel group moving to destabilize the government. Trillanes said he was surprised to hear such report and later confided to Magdangal, after several exchanges of text and cellular phone messages, that he was in fact receiving death threats over the phone. Trillanes then asked Magdangal if he could meet Arroyo in Malacañang on July 13 to clarify

1364-420: A presidential pardon in 2008 upon their admission of guilt. They were discharged from military service after pleading guilty on the military tribunal . According to the report of the post-mortem Fact Finding Commission chaired by Florentino P. Feliciano , a retired Supreme Court justice, "the incidents leading to the mutiny were not spontaneous, but a mere alternative plan to an overarching plot to overthrow

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1488-547: A public statement. The ABS-CBN News (ANC) network showed a live TV coverage of the prepared statement read by Gambala. In the statement, the rebels declared their withdrawal of support from the chain of command and presented their grievances against the Arroyo government. They demanded the resignation of the Arroyo administration leaders and endorsed the NRP as the solution to the problems of the Philippines. Also at dawn, Alex Benasin,

1612-485: A rebellion. Through the efforts of their classmates in the PSG and Abaya, the dinner with Arroyo took place. Members of PMA ‘94 and ’95 were invited to the occasion for "pure socializing" through text messages that originated from Magdangal. The class officers, expecting to have a “dialogue” with Arroyo that night regarding the issues in the AFP that they would like to raise, got frustrated as all Air Force Capt. Segundino Orfiano

1736-508: A report from various intelligence sources that the plot being watched involved plans to temporarily reinstate deposed President Estrada. On July 12, the intelligence group informed President Arroyo about persistent reports of rebel recruitment activities in the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP), particularly in Mindanao, Central Luzon, and Metro Manila. The Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (J2), MGen. Pedro Cabuay , presented

1860-745: A resident of the Baseco compound at the Port Area , was busy recruiting residents of the compound to go to Oakwood for a consideration of P300.00 each. Later, at about 8:30 am, members of the PGBI carrying banners of the NRP were seen in the Makati area but they were prevented by the PNP from reaching and camping in the vicinity of Oakwood. Pro-Estrada rallyists headed towards the People Power Monument on EDSA were also dispersed by police stationed in

1984-594: A summary of what was taken up at NICA the previous day. Considering its highly sensitive nature, the information was kept within a small group. Apart from the top officers of the AFP and the PNP, only a small number of Cabinet members attended. Recruitment efforts were noted to be most intense in the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment and Special Forces Regiment of the Special Operations Command , the Philippine Navy (SWAG) , Fort Bonifacio Units,

2108-527: A year later, in 1987. During Corazon Aquino's administration , most of the military units remained loyal to her as she dealt with various coup attempts against her, either by military factions that remained loyal to the former dictator, or by the Reform the Armed Forces Movement . The 1989 coup attempt , the bloodiest of all coup attempts against her, was crushed with US help. Following

2232-570: Is apparently a plan by the government to hold the MILF responsible for AFP-backed bombings in urban areas in Mindanao". President Arroyo denied having issued the first memorandum, and Ermita denounced the second document as being spurious and fabricated. The meeting on the night of June 12 was reportedly attended by top RAM officers including Honasan and retired Navy Capt. Felix Turingan, and the rebel leaders Trillanes, Gambala, and other junior officers. The group planned to attack high impact targets such as

2356-1059: The Buliok Complex at the Liguasan Marsh area in North Cotabato . Secretary Eduardo Ermita of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) purportedly signed the other document entitled "The President' s Four-Point Policy Framework in Addressing the Southern Philippines Secessionist/ MILF Problem", allegedly pursuant to the February 11 Presidential Memorandum of Instructions. This latter document purports to show that "there

2480-468: The DND Secretary purportedly issued by the president and the “ Oplan Greenbase ” attributed to Ermita were reported to have been disseminated to bolster the recruitment effort. Troop movements actually occurred two days before the Oakwood incident. Some 47 marines, carrying firearms were sighted coming from Ternate , Cavite . In the early morning of July 25, Some 28 Scout Ranger personnel boarded

2604-678: The Flag Officer-in-Command (FOIC) , Vice Admiral Ernesto de Leon , to detain him at the Naval Intelligence and Security Force (NISF) in Fort Bonifacio. In this connection, Magdangal, testified that, to the contrary, the conversation between Arroyo and Trillanes was cordial. The President’s parting shot was "Trillanes, you are a young, very bright and very idealistic officer. Huwag mong gayahin si Honasan at si Cardeño". The meeting lasted for about an hour. In

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2728-612: The Joseph Estrada plunder case, and the military's purported need to rectify the supposed errors brought about by the consequence of EDSA 2 . It was during this meeting that Army Maj. Perfecto Ragil, a member of the AFP Electronics and Information Systems Services assigned to Malacañang Palace , was tasked by Marine Capt. Gary Alejano to disable the palace's telephone system on "D-Day". Based on intelligence reports, two documents of dubious origin were distributed during

2852-620: The Magdalo faction during the Philippine Revolution , despite the group officially calling themselves " Bagong Katipuneros " ( transl.  New Katipuneros ). The mutiny ended after the government successfully negotiated with the group. Several prominent participants of the mutiny, including Trillanes and Gambala, were later charged. An official investigation was launched afterwards. A final report released in October of

2976-669: The Mandaluyong City police started the deployment of at least one hundred forty (140) personnel at the Poveda, Connecticut, and Ortigas areas. Later at 3:00 pm, intelligence reports indicated a change of instructions to the rallyists manning the EDSA Shrine. The anti-government groups were advised to assemble at the EDSA Shrine at 6:00 am on July 27 instead. At about 7:00 pm of July 26, Maj. Gen. Efren L. Abu , Vice Commander PA and Commander of TF Libra, visited

3100-478: The Manila Polo Club , with then- National Defense Secretary Fidel V. Ramos in attendance. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General of the AFP in May 2003, and retired with that rank in October 2004. He retired four years beyond than the mandatory retirement age of 56 due to a special arrangement with the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo . Corpus died on 4 April 2024, at

3224-684: The Moro National Liberation Front was formed in 1972. Meanwhile, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) was formed in 1968, while the New People's Army (NPA), founded in 1969, grew nationwide to a 200,000 strong force. Due to what was popularly believed to be electoral fraud during the 1986 Philippine presidential election , February 1986 saw a period of uncertainty. A boycott movement and plans for massive civilian protests were in place. During

3348-571: The Moro National Liberation Front , which proclaimed the independence of the short-lived Bangsamoro Republik . After the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro in 2014, the AFP has played a key part in the normalization process with the MILF, which includes "the decommissioning of MILF combatants and their weapons and the transformation of several camps into productive and resilient communities," developing

3472-761: The Navy (including the Marine Corps ). The President of the Philippines is the Commander-in-Chief of the AFP and forms military policy with the Department of National Defense , an executive department acting as the principal organ by which military policy is carried out, while the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines serves as the overall commander and the highest-ranking officer in

3596-632: The New People's Army (NPA) and led a raid on the PMA armory. Timing the raid when most cadets were out on Christmas vacation and the PMA's senior officers including its Superintendent, General Ugalde had left the camp to meet President Ferdinand Marcos upon his scheduled arrival in nearby Baguio . Corpus, who was PMA's designated officer of the day (OOD), guided the NPA raiding team which managed to escape with Browning automatic rifles, carbines, machine guns, and various other weapons and ammunition. Corpus oversaw

3720-685: The People's Movement Against Poverty (PMAP) and DEMOKRASYA had been instructed to assemble at the EDSA Shrine at 4:00 pm on July 27 and hold an overnight vigil there before proceeding to the Batasan area to hold anti-government rallies during the SONA. Invitations by the "anti-PGMA" group members to civilians to join the coup to be staged on July 27 were made through cellphone text messages. Among those who were recruited were past and present members of

3844-653: The Philippine Army ’s Light Armor Brigade (LABDE) and the Anti-Crime Task Force (ACTAF) . Most of those who were approached were junior officers from the PMA classes of ’95 thru ’99. Considering the situation as having developed into a crisis, the President immediately designated Golez as crisis manager. An action plan was approved which consisted of pre-emptive measures employing persuasion efforts on

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3968-702: The Philippine Constabulary , as well as the Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP). The Presidential Security Unit and the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) were also accused of aiding these activities. Aside from human rights abuses, these units were also accused of hounding media entities, corporate management, and opposition groups with threats, intimidation, and violence. The Marcos administration also marked

4092-512: The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1963. Corpus eventually graduated from PMA as part of the "Dimasupil" class of 1967. Corpus entered the Philippine Army , where he received Airborne and Special Forces training. He later transferred to the Philippine Constabulary. Disgruntled by corruption in the armed forces, he opted for an assignment as instructor at the PMA. On December 29, 1970, Corpus formally defected to

4216-601: The Philippine Revolutionary Army . The Spanish cession of the Philippines in the 1898 Treaty of Paris put the independence of the newly declared Southeast Asian republic in grave danger. The revolutionaries were fighting desperately as the American forces already landed in other islands and had taken over towns and villages. The Americans established the Philippine Constabulary in 1901 manned by Filipino fighters and used against Gen. Aguinaldo who

4340-639: The Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM), constituted by maverick junior officers and discontented enlisted personnel . These reports were submitted to Brig. Gen. Victor Corpus , confirmed by a later investigation that secret meetings were taking place among the insurgents; being held in Metro Manila , Central Luzon , and Mindanao . Meetings reportedly took place in the Robinson's Galleria Suites in Mandaluyong , Metro Manila on June 4, 2003, and

4464-560: The Spratly Islands . 1963 would see the first women join the ranks of the armed forces with the raising of the Women's Auxiliary Corps. President Ferdinand Marcos sought to have a strong personal influence over the Armed Forces as soon as he became president in 1965, holding on to the portfolio of defense secretary in the first thirteen months of his presidency to develop what scholars have noted to be "a patronage system within

4588-708: The West Philippine Sea . Victor Corpus A member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1967, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General of the AFP in May 2003, and retired with that rank when he reached retirement age in October 2004. Corpus was born on October 4, 1944, in San Pablo , Laguna . His father was Col. Vicente Corpus of the AFP Medical Corps. He took his elementary and high school studies at De La Salle University, and then on his father's insistence, entered

4712-419: The "Magdalo" group. To carry out the bloodletting rite, Honasan provided special knives and showed the participants how to inscribe the letter “ᜃ” ( Unicode 1703) or "Ka" of the Old Tagalog alphabet under their left upper arms. In the June 12 meeting in San Juan, the following topics were discussed: the peace and order situation, the national economy, the alleged illegitimacy of the Arroyo administration,

4836-406: The 1989 coup attempt, President Aquino established a Fact-Finding Commission headed by COMELEC Chairman Hilario Davide Jr. to investigate and provide a full report on the series of coup attempts. When it came out, The Davide Commission Report recommended several short-term and long-term counter-measures, including the establishment of a civilian national police force, a crackdown on corruption in

4960-428: The 80th Infantry Battalion. By this time, TF Libra was already at its full strength. An hour later, Arroyo went on air and ordered the arrest of the junior officers who had deserted their posts. A conference presided over by Abaya was held at about 9:00 pm to assess the intelligence situation. Abu gave an update on the forces composition of TF Libra. The PNP report on troop movement by Marines from Ternate, Cavite to

5084-419: The AFP Chief of Staff, the AFP Vice Chief of Staff, the commanding general of the Philippine Army, the Chief of the Philippine Constabulary, the commanders of all four Constabulary Zones, and one third of all Provincial Commanders of the PC. Other key officers critical of Marcos, such as Commodore Ramon Alcaraz , were compelled to leave the service. In their place, Marcos appointed officers from his home region,

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5208-428: The AFP and counter-intelligence specialists. SMC Alpha is composed of representatives from various intelligence bodies, and is mandated to monitor domestic threats, particularly destabilization plots against the government, and to recommend appropriate counterintelligence measures. Its task is to prevent mass mobilizations from turning into a situation similar to the attempted siege of Malacañang Palace on May 1, 2001, by

5332-474: The AFP launched an all-out offensive against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front , a breakaway group of the MNLF that wants to proclaim Mindanao an independent state. The AFP succeeded in capturing the MILF's main headquarters, Camp Abubakar on July 9. The AFP played a key role in the two-day Edsa Dos People Power revolt in 2001; the revolution removed Estrada from power and installed then vice-president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as president. Since 2001,

5456-544: The AFP, which grew from a force of 57,100 in 1971 to a 97.89 percent increase of 113,000 personnel in 1976 - a significant increase of over a five-year period. He also increased the military budget from P880 million in 1972 to P4 billion in 1976. Marcos also instituted the AFP Self Reliance Defense Posture (SRDP) program, which was supposed to enable the AFP to construct its own weapons, tanks, armored vehicles, ships, gunboats, and aircraft locally instead of buying from foreign sources. This included " Project Santa Barbara " under

5580-425: The AFP. Founded under the National Defense Act of 1935 , while tracing its roots to the Philippine Revolutionary Army , the AFP has played an integral part in the country's history. The AFP has also been involved in various conflicts, such as combatting rebellion against the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its attached organizations, the New People's Army (NPA) and the National Democratic Front of

5704-506: The AFP. The Magdalo group, it appears, targeted Oakwood as the site for the execution of "Plan Charlie". On July 19, Gambala checked in at Oakwood under the name of George Uy, coincidentally the same name as SOUTHCOM Admiral George Uy. A cash deposit of P48,800.00 for room rental from July 19 to 28, 2003 was paid by someone calling herself Tina Uy Angeles, who made the reservation. From July 21 to 23, unauthorized troop movements apparently bound for Manila had been monitored upon validation of

5828-403: The Armed Forces of the Philippines has been active in supporting the War on terror and has been attacking terrorist groups in Mindanao ever since. In 2012, the AFP Chief of Staff said that there had been no increase in the number of soldiers over a long period, and that the military aimed to hire 30,000 troops in three years. In 2013, the AFP successfully quelled the Zamboanga City attacks of

5952-402: The DIABLO and Philippine Guardians Brotherhood, Inc. (PGBI). Police Chief Inspector Leborio Jangao , one of the founding members of PGBI, stated he received cellphone text messages on July 26 informing him that a coup d'état would be staged on July 27. At this time the crime disturbance personnel of the PNP had already been instructed to secure the EDSA Shrine, the Connecticut Street area, and

6076-400: The Dasmariñas Village. National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents were also dispatched to monitor this development. The Oakwood siege had been facilitated by earlier activities as seen in the foregoing account. The antecedents show that the rebellion was not a spontaneous phenomenon as extensive preparations and mobilization activities were undertaken prior to the occupation and control of

6200-438: The Feliciano Commission in 2003. Civilian and military historians alike agree that " human rights abuses by the troops became rampant" during the Marcos administration, as documented by international monitoring entities such as Amnesty International . Units often specifically cited in these reported incidents include the Metrocom Intelligence and Security Group (MISG) , and the 5th Constabulary Security Unit (5CSU) of

6324-414: The Ilocos, the most significant of whom had familial connections to Marcos – ensuring their familial and regionalistic loyalties to him. Among the most prominent such appointments were that of General Fabian Ver as commander of the Presidential Security Command in 1965, and AFP chief of staff in 1981; Juan Ponce Enrile as Secretary of Defense from 1970 to 1986; and General Fidel Ramos as chief for

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6448-480: The Makati area. An additional 100 Special Action Force (SAF) personnel of the PNP were then sent to secure the Batasan complex. In addition, one PA platoon and a PNP contingent reinforced the security forces of TV stations and telecommunications facilities. Also on July 26, Naval Base personnel in Cavite received a report that three suspicious-looking vehicles were parked at the back of the Naval Sea Systems Command Armory in Fort San Felipe , Cavite City . Following

6572-440: The Malacañang Palace, Ninoy Aquino International Airport , Fort Bonifacio , Camp Crame , Villamor Air Base , Camp Aguinaldo , and all television and radio stations in Metro Manila. The plotters underwent the ritual earlier described as bloodletting, which they termed "dinuguan". Apart from the gripe sessions and bloodletting rites, the Magdalo group’s preparations included the acquisition of rebel paraphernalia. On June 4, 2003,

6696-400: The Marxist–Leninist Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas of 1930 (PKP-1930). This conflict effectively ended in 1954, with the huks becoming a spent force during the presidency of Ramon Magsaysay . In 1966, an AFP battalion was also sent into South Vietnam during the Vietnam War to ameliorate the economic and social conditions of its people there. AFP units were also sent at the same time to

6820-420: The NPA is alleged to have a role in committing. He would spent the rest of the Marcos dictatorship in prison. After Marcos was deposed in the peaceful 1986 EDSA Revolution , Corpus was granted clemency by President Corazon Aquino . During the God Save the Queen Plot against President Corazon Aquino in November 1986, the Reform the Armed Forces Movement 's chief propagandist, Captain Rex Robles, leaked to

6944-426: The North or to Manila was confirmed by Cavite PNP Provincial Director Police Senior Superintendent Roberto L. Rosales and Marine Commandant, Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Teodosio . The advancing Marines were able to avoid checkpoints on their way to Makati by evasive movements. The PAF civil disturbance contingent earlier deployed at the Batasan area and the PN contingent at the VMMC, both in Quezon City, were then redeployed to

7068-426: The Oakwood Apartments. The rebels took over Oakwood at past 1:00 am of July 27. Over 300 soldiers quietly entered the premises of Ayala Center in several groups. The soldiers disarmed the security guards and took over Oakwood. They planted claymore mines around the building and in the vicinity. Snipers were posted at the Oakwood roof deck. Two government command groups were immediately dispatched after reports of

7192-405: The Ortigas Avenue Extension area from rallyists. There were reports the EDSA Shrine would be the target where another EDSA 2 or EDSA 3 would be staged. Early on Friday night of July 25, the 80th Infantry Battalion based in Camp Capinpin was ordered to augment TF Libra. The mission of the TF Libra included the securing of vital communications installations such as radio and TV stations. It assisted

7316-428: The PNP in securing the EDSA Shrine and containing civilian groups in the area. The first elements of the joint TF Libra arrived in Camp Aguinaldo at about 11:00 pm. For his part, Ebdane declared a full alert status nationwide, effective on 12:00 noon on July 26, as a contingency measure. All PNP field commanders were directed to secure vital installations and key establishments. At around 2:00 pm of July 26,

7440-520: The Philippine Constabulary, and later as Armed Forces Vice Chief from 1981 to 1986. Generals loyal to Marcos were allowed to stay in their positions past their supposed retirement age, or were rewarded with civilian government posts. This led to a loss of morale among the middle-ranks of the AFP, because it meant a significant slowdown in promotions and caused many officers to retire with ranks much lower than they would otherwise have earned. Several cabals of dissatisfied officers eventually formed among

7564-448: The Philippine Navy, which saw the testing of the Bongbong II MLRS - named after Marcos' son - in 1972. However, the project was discontinued before the Marcos administration ended. The military was given many functions aside from its task of national defense, including assisting in the implementation of price controls imposed on key products like corn and rice, enforcing the rules of the national corn procurement program, assisting in

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7688-417: The Philippine military were incorporated in the U.S. Army Forces Far East (USAFFE), with MacArthur appointed as its commander. USAFFE made its last stand on Corregidor Island, after which Japanese forces were able to force all remaining Filipino and American troops to surrender. The establishment of the general headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth Army are military station went to the province during

7812-420: The Philippine territory from external threats. Pre-colonial Philippines maintained local militia groups under the barangay system. Reporting to the datu , these groups, aside from maintaining order in their communities, also served as their defense forces. With the arrival of Islam, the system of defense forces in the Mindanao region's sultanates under Muslim control mirrored those other existing sultanates in

7936-502: The Philippines (NDF), and operations against local Islamic terrorists in Mindanao . The AFP has also been part of various peacekeeping operations around the world, as part of its contribution to the United Nations . At present, military service is entirely voluntary. As a result of the diminished number of active communist rebels and jihadist groups in the 2020s, the AFP has been shifting its primary focus from handling internal threats such as insurgency and local terrorism to defending

8060-412: The Philippines gained its independence in 1946. (This was its second independence after the Philippine Declaration of Independence in 1898). The pre-war military districts briefly continued to be used for administering the military, until they were reorganized into Military Area Commands in 1946. In 1947 the modern AFP first emerged with the upgrade of the PAAC to the Philippine Air Force . 1950 saw

8184-464: The Philippines sent various AFP battalions, known as the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) to fight as part of the US-led United Nations Command in liberating South Korea from the invading North Korean troops. Throughout this time, the AFP had been in conflict with various elements of the Hukbalahap which, still known as the "huks", were reconstituted as the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan ("Peoples' Liberation Army")the armed wing of

8308-408: The Philippines. The AFP, during her term also launched a massive campaign against the CPP-NPA after a brief hiatus and also against the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in the south. In 1991, the major services of the AFP were reduced from four to three, when the Philippine Constabulary or PC, an AFP major service tasked to enforce the law and to curb criminality, was formally merged with

8432-434: The SMC Alpha took place on July 18 to ensure that the action plans agreed upon were already in place and being implemented. Having received reports about the troop movements, PNP Chief, Director General Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. issued a directive to all field commanders to coordinate with AFP units and investigate any unauthorized movements and other groupings. He also ordered all PNP personnel to be accounted for, and declared

8556-421: The age of 79. Gringo Honasan , a former Philippine Army officer who had led various coup attempts against the Corazon Aquino administration in the 1980s, was a student of Corpus in political science at the PMA, and once stated that "[Corpus] was, in fact, our class advisor. Most of the radical thinking of our class was his influence." A biographical film about Corpus titled Operation: Get Victor Corpus,

8680-409: The area. It was reported that more pro-Estrada followers actively recruited people from various Metro Manila locations to regroup in the EDSA Shrine. Members of the PMAP marched in the direction of Makati from Greenhills. After 9:00 am of July 27, Arroyo gave the rebel soldiers a 5:00 pm deadline to give up their positions peacefully and return to barracks. At around 1:00 pm, she declared

8804-436: The beginnings of at least two long-running conflicts that continued to plague later administrations: the Moro conflict and the New People's Army conflict. The Moro conflict , began in earnest in 1968 when short-lived organizations such as the Muslim Independence Movement and the Bangsamoro Liberation Organization formed in reaction to news about the Jabidah Massacre , with many of their forces eventually coalescing as

8928-521: The chaos, the Reform the Armed Forces Movement headed by then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile decided to stage a military coup against Marcos. The plot was uncovered, however, and the forces involved became trapped in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City . They then sought and received the support of Philippine Constabulary chief and AFP vice-chief of staff Lt. General Fidel V. Ramos in

9052-404: The collection of rural and government bank loans, implementing the agrarian reform law, and various police functions such as collecting unlicensed firearms and enforcing curfews, and suppressing strikes, rallies, and other demonstrations. Marcos carried out the "largest reshuffle in the history of the armed forces" when he forcibly retired fourteen of the AFP's twenty-five flag officers, including

9176-529: The counter-coup composite unit of the AFP, was set in motion. The action forces were immediately dispatched in anticipation of the rumored coup . A week earlier, a meeting of the leaders of "anti-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo" (PGMA) groups allegedly to discuss pre-SONA activities at the Danarra Hotel in Quezon City was monitored by Government intelligence. On July 25, 2003, intelligence reports were received that some so-called "anti-PGMA" groups like

9300-513: The country's Integrated National Police , a national police force on the cities and municipalities in the country attached to the PC to become the Philippine National Police , thus removing it from AFP control and it was civilianized by a law passed by Congress, therefore becoming under the Department of the Interior and Local Government as a result. In 2000, on President Joseph Estrada 's orders,

9424-626: The creation of the Philippine Marine Corps , a naval infantry force under the command of the Philippine Navy, after then-Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay ordered Commodore Ramon Alcaraz to go to study the organization of the U.S. Marines. Alcaraz recommended the creation of the new service, earning him the distinction of being the "Father" of the Philippine Marine Corps . During the Korean War from 1951 to 1953,

9548-520: The defense establishment." The portfolio afforded him direct interaction with the AFP's leadership, and to have a hand in the AFP's day-to-day operationalization. Upon the declaration of martial law in 1972, Marcos used the AFP as what the Davide Commission Report would later call his "martial law implementor," and "one of the vital supports of the regime." Upon the announcement of Martial Law in 1972, one of their earliest tasks

9672-488: The dissemination and discussion of copies of the "National Recovery Program" (NRP) authored by Col. Gregorio Honasan (retired), and a document entitled "The Last Revolution". Bloodletting meetings and the taking of an "Oath of Loyalty" by the recruits were conducted. The purchase of flags, armbands, uniforms, backpacks and other rebel paraphernalia, including telecommunications equipment and vehicles were also taking place. A photograph taken in one of these meetings, which

9796-482: The early morning of July 26, the 10 suspected leaders declared unaccounted for by the AFP were identified as Trillanes, Layug, Gambala, Maestrecampo, and army officers Capt. Lawrence Louis Somera , Capt. Albert Baloloy , 1st Lt. Lawrence San Juan , 1st Lt. Florentino Somera , 1st Lt. Jose Enrico Demetrio Dingle , and 1st Lt. Waren Lee Dagupon . At 5:00 am, emergency meetings were held by Abaya, Golez, and Garcia with

9920-435: The early years of Spanish colonial era, most of the formations of the army were composed of conquistadors backed with native auxiliaries. By the 18th and 19th centuries, line infantry and cavalry formations were created composed of mixed Spanish and Filipino personnel, as well as volunteer battalions composed of all-Filipino volunteers during the later half of the 19th Century. Units from other colonies were also levied to augment

10044-759: The effort to neutralize the mutiny. Arroyo took this opportunity to visit with the members of the FSRR, which at that time was reported to have been significantly infiltrated by suspected rebels. She also visited on July 25 the Marine Training Camp in Ternate, Cavite , the PAF 15th Strike Wing , and the SWAG in Sangley Point , Cavite . Abaya made rounds of other units where restiveness had been reported. In

10168-474: The election results, a large crowd was able to gather and prevent Marcos' forces from attacking camps Aguinaldo and Crame. This civilian uprising, which would come to be known as the People Power Revolution , led to various units of the AFP refusing orders to fire on the camps and the civilians protecting them, and led to the removal Marcos from power. Corazon Aquino was then installed as

10292-474: The evening of July 23, 2003, about 100 members of PMA '94 and '95 had dinner and a "photo opportunity" with President Arroyo in Malacañang Palace. A few days before the dinner, Chief of Staff , AFP (CSAFP) General Narciso Abaya held separate meetings with the officers of the two classes. He was informed of their sentiments, particularly that they were being unjustly dragged into the alleged plan for

10416-535: The existence of a “ State of Rebellion ” and issued an order to use reasonable force, and pay due regard to constitutional rights, in putting down the rebellion. The rebel soldiers held another public airing of their grievances at around 4:20 pm. By that time, 25 rebel soldiers had surrendered to the TF Libra in two batches, as revealed by the Government command stationed outside of Oakwood. The announcement of

10540-460: The existing formations in the Philippines. Almost all of the formations of the Spanish Army in the archipelago participated in the local religious uprisings between 17th and 19th centuries, and in the Philippine Revolution in 1896 fighting against the revolutionary forces. At the peak of the revolution, some Filipinos and a few Spaniards in the Spanish Army, Guardia Civil, and Navy defected to

10664-537: The failed operations of the New People's Army to receive armaments from China in 1972. The Philippine military intercepted the weapons loaded into the ship MV Karagatan along the coast of Palanan , Isabela . Disgruntled with the Communist Party of the Philippines , Corpus decided to surrender to government in July 14, 1976, due to disillusionment over the organization citing the 1971 Plaza Miranda bombing which

10788-535: The general staff and senior officers to discuss the reports on the missing officers and the reported destabilization plot. At around 10:00 am, Arroyo and Corpuz met with a group of NGOs at the EDSA Shrine. Corpuz announced that certain units from Tanay were missing. At 2:00 pm, a meeting was held by the same group with House Speaker Jose de Venecia and the House Committee Chairman for Defense and Security, Prospero Pichay , to discuss

10912-604: The government". The finding disproved the initial claim made by Trillanes before the commission that the forceful occupation of the Oakwood Service Apartments by the Magdalo Group was "unplanned and spontaneous". Further findings gathered by the commission revealed that extensive planning and preparations for several months had preceded the events of July 27, 2003. "Gripe sessions" were held among military personnel sought to be recruited, which included

11036-442: The government's supervision of the military, and demanded the resignation of Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes , PNP Director General Hermogenes Ebdane , and AFP Chief of Intelligence Service Victor Corpus ; They also aired their grievances against the military establishment and anomalies on the AFP. The mutiny was covered heavily by the local press, who dubbed the group as " Magdalo " in reference to their insignia , which alludes to

11160-477: The information that there was restiveness among junior AFP officers. Having validated the coup rumors and considering the troop movements, the government took a number of pre-emptive measures. It was fortuitous that these rumors and troop movements materialized just prior to President Arroyo's State of the Nation Address (SONA) scheduled for delivery on July 28. In connection with the SONA, the government

11284-509: The issue with her. Trillanes, who would later act as spokesman of the Magdalo group, met with two members of the PSG , Col. Delfin Bangit and Magdangal in the early morning of July 13. They talked for nearly four hours from 3:00 am onwards. The two officers were present when Trillanes met with President Arroyo at 7:00 am of the same day. During the meeting with Arroyo, Trillanes brought up

11408-451: The junior officers at that time as nothing overtly illegal had been committed. Some of them came in BDA uniforms and carried arms and ammunition. Some of them ended up in Oakwood. Before the Oakwood incident, amid the coup rumors, Arroyo met with officers and men, including Trillanes and some members of PMA '94 and '95. On July 10, Navy Lt. Christopher Magdangal , an aide-de-camp to Arroyo and

11532-446: The matter. At 5:00 pm of July 26, 2003, Arroyo convened a full cabinet meeting where Cabuay presented a briefing on the looming coup plot. Thereafter, Arroyo publicly announced for the first time at 8:19 pm in the media that "a small band of rogue junior officers and soldiers had deserted their posts and illegally brought weapons with them". The security plan of action was immediately set in motion. Task Force Libra (TF Libra),

11656-580: The media a letter from Corpus, in which he claimed to have witnessed the CPP leadership planning the Plaza Miranda bombing in 1971, which prompted him to surrender to the government. He later reported the plot to Philippine Constabulary chief Renato de Villa , which led to its unraveling. In 1987, Corpus was reinstated into the Armed Forces of the Philippines, with a rank of Lieutenant Colonel. On June 7, 1989, he launched his book titled Silent War at

11780-543: The meeting in San Juan. These documents were "designed to pollute the minds of the junior officers". The first was a supposed Memorandum of Instructions addressed to the Secretary of National Defense dated February 11, 2003, directing the full implementation of "Oplan Greenbase". The document, purportedly signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo , contained a plan to capture Hashim Salamat dead or alive and to occupy

11904-470: The middle-ranks of the AFP, most notably the Reform the Armed Forces Movement in the early 1980s. The Marcos administration is thus considered to have marked a decline for AFP in terms of its traditional values of civilian supremacy and professionalism, leading to a need for security sector reform during later administrations, as per the recommendations of the Davide Commission in 1990 and

12028-423: The military, a performance review of appointive government officials, reforms in the process of military promotions, a review of election laws in time for the 1992 presidential elections, and a definitive statement on the part of Aquino on whether she intended to run for re-election in 1992. The publication of the recommendations of the report is considered one of the key starting points of security sector reform in

12152-401: The neighboring Camp Crame , but even with Ramos' defection, their forces were trapped in the two neighboring camps. Manila's Catholic Archbishop, Jaime Sin , went on Radio Veritas and called for people to go to the section of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in between the two camps and help protect the rebel forces. Since civilian groups were already planning massive protests in relation to

12276-496: The new president of the Philippines. Shortly after midnight on February 26, five army trucks of troops under the command of Fidel Ramos arrived in Malacañang Palace to secure it after Ferdinand Marcos had left, and various individuals had entered it, marking the end of Marcos' reign, and placing the palace under the control of the Provisional Government of the Philippines until a new constitution could be enacted

12400-891: The occupation of Oakwood, and of movement of the Marine contingent from Ternate towards Camp Aguinaldo were confirmed. The Crisis Management Staff was formed at the Command Operation Center in Camp Crame, and the Advanced Command Post of the PNP was established behind the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati. Marines and Army officers later joined the PNP at the Makati post, and the Southern Police District Director, Police Chief Superintendent Jose Gutierrez ,

12524-622: The occupation. Those who survived the invasion but escaped from the Japanese formed the basis of recognized guerrilla units and ongoing local military force of the Philippine Commonwealth Army that continued the fighting against the enemy all over the islands. The Philippine Constabulary went on active service under the Armed Forces of the Philippines during liberation. After Japan was defeated in World War II,

12648-526: The offer and became a Field Marshal of the Philippines, a rank no other person has since held. Jean MacArthur , his wife, found the situation amusing and remarked that her husband had gone from holding the highest rank in the United States Army to holding the highest rank in a non-existent army. President Quezon officially conferred the title of Field Marshal on MacArthur in a ceremony at Malacañan Palace on August 24, 1936, when he appeared with

12772-509: The one hand, and cracking down on the suspected plotters should they commit any overt illegal acts, on the other. Recruitment activities by suspected rebels were again reported during the July 14 meeting of the Cabinet Oversight Committee – Internal Security (COC-IS). The meeting discussed threats to SONA and the concomitant security preparations. At this time, the Government had not yet established concrete links between

12896-537: The order issued by Arroyo to the AFP and PNP for the arrest of the Magdalo officers at around 8:00 pm and the conference called by Abaya to assess the intelligence reports at 9:00 pm, operatives of the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) were dispatched to Dasmariñas Village , Makati at around 10:00 pm that same night of July 26 to verify the presence of heavily armed men in military uniform reported by security guards of

13020-543: The passage of the National Defense Act of 1935 which called for a separate defense force for the Philippines. In accordance with the National Defense Act of 1935 , the Armed Forces of the Philippines was officially established on December 21, 1935, when the act entered into force. Retired U.S. General Douglas MacArthur was asked to supervise its foundation and training. MacArthur accepted

13144-469: The problem of corruption as discussed in the two term papers which he submitted for his masters program at the University of the Philippines ’ National College of Public Administration and Governance . He later alleged that Arroyo did not give him a chance to discuss the papers and instead scolded him. Arroyo allegedly ordered the PSG officers to parade him before the media to give him a lesson and called

13268-553: The rebel soldiers came from a house at 2177 Paraiso Street, Dasmariñas Village, owned by Ramon Cardenas who was residing at 1346 Palm Avenue in the same village. At 4:00 am TF Ayala of the Marine Corps had been activated and had occupied positions with infantry and armor, encircling the Ayala Center Complex. Between 4:00 and 5:00 am, the rebel soldiers were able to make arrangements to go on air to issue

13392-597: The recruitment of military officers as rebels and the anti-government mass actions mobilized for the SONA. In the meeting of SMC Alpha on July 15, the recruitment had been reported as led by a covert fraternity called the “ New Filipino Heroes ” who were advocating the adoption of the NRP of Honasan. Plans of the groups to rescue and release former President Estrada from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) and to take over radio and television stations were likewise revealed. Another meeting by

13516-698: The region. These local warriors who were in the service of the Sultan were also responsible to qualified male citizens appointed by him. During the Spanish colonial period, the Spanish Army was responsible for the defense and general order of the archipelago in the land, while the Spanish Navy conducts maritime policing in the seas as well as providing naval logistics to the Army. The Guardia Civil took police duties and maintaining public order in villages and towns. In

13640-486: The same time, the security guards of Dasmariñas Village in Makati confirmed the presence of heavily armed men in full battle gear marching from Paraiso Street to the EDSA-Pasay Road gate of the village. The armed soldiers, wearing red armbands, forced the security guards to open the gate. They were seen crossing EDSA and going towards the direction of Ayala Center , Makati. The CIDG-NBI composite team confirmed that

13764-541: The same year identified the mutiny leaders, as well as underscoring the need for the modernization of the AFP. Trillanes ran and ultimately won a seat for senator in the 2007 elections under the Genuine Opposition coalition, despite being in prison. He attempted another mutiny against Arroyo in 2007, but it also failed. He was later released in 2010 following an executive order issued by Arroyo. Meanwhile, Gambala and eight other rebel officials were later given

13888-473: The supporters of former President Joseph Estrada . At the SMC Alpha meeting held on July 11, the details of the recruitment by the Magdalo group were discussed and those involved were identified. On the same day, NICA Director General Cesar Garcia reported to National Security Adviser Roilo Golez on the ongoing recruitment activities in the AFP by certain junior officers. Subsequently, SMC Alpha submitted

14012-665: The surrender was downplayed by the Magdalo group as part of a “ psywar ” operation on the part of the Government, during an ambush interview of Trillanes. Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines ( AFP ) ( Filipino : Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas ) are the military forces of the Philippines . It consists of three main service branches; the Army , the Air Force , and

14136-619: The total cost to P45,000.00. The customer was later identified as Navy Ensign Armand Pontejos, PMA '00, one of the rebel soldiers who went to Oakwood. Another rebel soldier who went to Oakwood was Navy Lt. Manuel Cabochan, of PMA '95 who bought 49 sets of battle dress attire (BDA) uniforms, T-shirts, and combat boots worth P108,780.00 on June 30, 2003. There is evidence the Magdalo group also acquired vehicles apparently to transport troops to target areas. On July 23, five Hyundai Aero buses (presumably second hand) were purchased for P2.10 million in cash by Francisco Dimaculangan and Isidro Samaco from

14260-480: The underground movement". In 2024, the number of active communist rebels in the NPA reached a low of 1,500, with the AFP aiming to neutralize them by the end of the year. As a result of the development, the AFP under the Bongbong Marcos administration has been shifting its focus away from handling internal threats towards defending Philippine territory from external threats such as China's encroachment in

14384-571: Was able to say after the dinner, when Arroyo briefly asked about the coup issue, was "…we are against corruption". Likewise, based on the remarks made on television immediately after the dinner, PMA ’94 class president Army Capt. Ma. Noel Tolentino said, "we assured her that we are still... we are loyal to her". President Arroyo also attended on July 24 the turn-over of the command at the FSRR in Camp Tecson in San Miguel, Bulacan as part of

14508-672: Was already taking measures to ensure the security of the president and the government. On July 10, the National Security Council (NSC) had requested the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) to host a "small group" meeting of the Special Monitoring Committee Alpha (SMC Alpha), which was organized to ensure security during the SONA, together with the major service intelligence chiefs of

14632-619: Was decided that the soldiers be met once they arrive in North Harbor . Upon their arrival, they were in fact met by some officers, including Col. Danilo Lim of the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR) , and were found to have apparently legitimate reasons for coming to Manila. They carried documents showing either they were on rest and recreation or about to undergo training. Despite the coup rumors, government security forces refrained from taking punitive action against

14756-599: Was designated as the ground commander. At around 2:00 am on July 27, Abu was informed by the Joint Operation Center in Camp Aguinaldo about the presence of troops moving towards Metro Manila. Most of these troops were coming from Ternate, Cavite. At this time, the Marines under Teodosio were already poised to stop the troops. They were pre-positioned around the car park behind Oakwood. At about

14880-755: Was divided into ten "military districts." MacArthur expanded the Army of the Philippines with the revival of the Navy in 1940 and the formation of the Philippine Army Air Corps (formerly the Philippine Constabulary Air Corps), but they were not ready for combat at the start of the Pacific War in December 1941 and unable to defeat the 1941–42 Japanese invasion of the Philippines . In 1940–41, most soldiers of

15004-542: Was later captured. On April 9, 2002, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo proclaimed that the Philippine–American War had ended on April 16, 1902, with the surrender of General Miguel Malvar . Since the beginning of American rule in the Philippines, the United States Army had taken the responsibility for the defense of the country in the land, and the United States Navy in the seas until

15128-566: Was released to the press by the Presidential Security Group (PSG), showed Trillanes and a person believed to be Honasan standing before the Philippine flag and a flag or streamer with the Magdalo countersign. From July to December 2002, word began to spread about military personnel who were disseminating spurious queries about grievances within the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Reports were leaked involving

15252-545: Was shared during the preparation for President Arroyo’ s SONA. At the meeting on July 23, the SMC Alpha discussed plans on how to counter the likely staging of mass actions by anti-government groups at the Batasang Pambansa Complex during the SONA. At this meeting, the efforts at recruitment of junior officers in the AFP and the PNP in Mindanao were reported. The February 11 Memorandum of Instructions to

15376-478: Was that of quickly arresting and containing Marcos' political opponents, and Marcos' hold on power was effectively broken once enough of the Military withdrew their support from him in February 1986. Antonio Parlade notes that to get the military to ensure their cooperation, Marcos "had to expand the military organization and patronize the generals to buy their loyalty." Marcos oversaw a significant expansion of

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