What GMA said before COPA members back in Feb. 21, 2001

here it is, ellen. as early as january 2000 pa raw nila plina-plano ito. ;)

btw, is "Col. C.B. Garcia" underlined below the Gen. Carlos Garcia?

Here's the link:

GMA ADMITS PART IN MILITARY COUP VS. ERAP

Manila, Feb. 23, 2001 - Administration officials came to the defense of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's revelation before members of the Council on Philippine Affairs (Copa) that she, along with Copa members, was in constant communication with five military groups, including Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Angelo Reyes, in a plot to oust now deposed President Joseph Estrada.

Mrs. Arroyo publicly stated that aside from the five military groups who offered their support as early as January 2000, there were others such as some activists, some priests and their friends who were "working for the eventual withdrawal of support (from Estrada)."

Copa is a group that is led by former President Corazon Aquino's brother, Jose "Peping" Cojuangco. Members of Copa are Gen. Edgardo Espinosa, Jose Pastor Zaycon and Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson, among others. "That (military) group that I was meeting with since January was made up of Gen. Larry Mendoza and Col. C.B. Garcia" and a retired general.

Mrs. Arroyo recounted that she met with a group close to Reyes.

Reyes' chief of staff, Col. Victor Corpus, began talking with Mrs. Arroyo's senior aide Col. Charlie Braganza.

"Later (Braganza) was transferred to Nolcom...and that's when he became a...plotter in the crime together with Gen. Art Cerillo, and that 'the problem' was the time for the 'moment of truth' which was supposed to have been on Nov. 4.

"And then later on President (Fidel) Ramos introduced me to another group...and this was the group of Gen. (Hermogenes) "Jun" Ebdane and also special operations commander Gen. Jonep Santiago and I said `Wow!' this is because the special operations commander is the head of the Special Forces and the Scout Rangers," the President recalled.

Finally, Mrs. Arroyo said Singson introduced her to a group of officers headed by Espinosa and Col. Reynaldo Berroya in a hotel.

National Security Adviser Roilo Golez ruled out security and constitutional conflict because of the revelations made by the President.

"The President is being transparent. In her speech, she is showing how the military officers are demonstrating their love of country. What could be more honest than acting on your mandate given by the Filipino people?" Golez said. Instead of criticizing her and the military officers' group for abandoning Estrada at the height of his leadership crisis, those who helped the opposition groups in catapulting Mrs. Arroyo into power, should instead have the respect of the Filipino people, he claimed.

Acting Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita in another interview with the Tribune also downplayed the observation that a coup plot was indeed hatched by the military with the knowledge, support and consent of Mrs. Arroyo, who was clearly the beneficiary of an Estrada ouster.

Instead of losing the trust and confidence of the Filipino people, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, according to Ermita, were transformed into a more disciplined and more dedicated officers, whose main objective is to always protect the Constitution and its citizens.

"It's a matter of opinion. Let's go back to Edsa I, when we severed our ties (with the Marcos government), did it placed the military in bad light?" he said, adding "people now believe that members of the AFP are always thinking and making things always for the good of the people," Ermita, a retired military general said.

While speaking at the Copa People's Heroes Awards last Wednesday night, Mrs. Arroyo segued by revealing the names of those who helped her from the military and police side. (By She Caguimbal-Torres and Jun del Rio)