Philippines remembers Marcos era

By Sarah Toms
BBC News, Manila

There were high hopes after President Marcos was ousted

The Philippines is marking 20 years of freedom from President Ferdinand Marcos on Saturday under a state of emergency.

On Friday, President Gloria Arroyo confronted an alleged plot to overthrow her by communists, soldiers and politicians.

The military detained the commander of an elite regiment as the leader of troops who were planning to incite crowds at anti-government rallies.

The offices of a pro-opposition newspaper were raided on Saturday.

Emergency powers

The day after President Arroyo declared a national state of emergency, the streets are quiet in the Philippine capital.

Most events to mark the 20th anniversary of the overthrow of President Marcos have been cancelled.

There was no flag raising, no wreath-laying and little sign of public dissent.

But in the early hours of Saturday, Philippine police raided the offices of the Daily Tribune, a pro-opposition newspaper.

They confiscated documents and copies of the newspaper from the printing presses.

The editor in chief said the raid was like President Marcos' use of martial law from 1972 when he closed down the free press.

President Arroyo invoked emergency powers on Friday, hours after a coup plot was allegedly averted to overthrow her and install a military government.

The government told media to avoid bias and not report on sensitive military details.

Since last year, Mrs Arroyo's presidency has been threatened by allegations of vote-rigging and corruption.

Twenty years ago when President Marcos fell, there were hopes of a stronger economy, an overhaul of political patronage and better lives for tens of millions of the poor.

To this day Filipinos are still hoping.