Aquino Using Coup Claims to Impose Martial Law, Enrile Says

MANILA — Opposition leader Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile accused the Aquino administration today of using claims of an impending coup to impose martial law and challenged the government to arrest alleged coup plotters.

President Corazon Aquino meanwhile inspected damage caused by communist New People’s Army guerrillas on southeastern Luzon island. Officials said at least 11 people were killed in rebel attacks in the central and southern Philippines during the last 24 hours.

The trip was the president’s first outside Manila since a coup attempt Aug. 28 in which 53 people were killed and hundreds wounded.

Enrile made the challenge in a radio interview and again on the Senate floor one day after the government charged that right-wing politicians were plotting to overthrow the government this month.

The government Wednesday closed down a radio station accused of broadcasting right-wing propaganda and of encouraging soldiers who joined the August mutiny to launch new attacks. (Story on Page 12.)

“They are conditioning the mind of our people that we are in a grave crisis so they can have the basis for declaring an emergency and martial law,” Enrile said of the alleged new plot in an interview with the private radio station DZRH.

“If they already have evidence and they know about it, they should arrest all those planning these things, including politicians whom they claim to be part of it,” Enrile said.