Marcos continues fight to hold power

Press, 26 February 1986, Page 1

Marcos continues fight to hold power

NZPA-Reuter-AP Manila

At least 12 people were shot dead yesterday in Manila where Mr Ferdinand Marcos and his rival, Mrs Corazon Aquino, both sworn in as President of the Philippines, were locked in a bitter power struggle. Eight people, including a policewoman, were killed during a raid on a police station in Makati, the capital’s financial district, the police said. They said Aquino supporters had tried to seize the station.

Mr Marcos’s palace said four men were killed in shooting at Channel 9 television station, controlled by his supporters.

A live broadcast of his swearing-in ceremony was cut short. Channel 4 television station, now run by Aquino forces, also said that at least eight people were wounded in shooting

incidents during the' night. -• Mrs Aquino, aged 53, took the oath of office from Judge Claudio Teehankee of the Supreme Court at a suburban club. She said she was claiming the Presidency in the name of the people. Soon after, Mr Marcos, aged 68, entrenched in his Malacanang Palace, was sworn in for a fourth term of office in spite of charges at home and abroad that he won the election through fraud and violence.

The Defence Minister, Mr Juan Ponce Enrile, and Lieutenant-General Fidel Ramos, leaders of Saturday’s military rebellion which set the stage for Mrs Aquino’s proclamation as President, sat with her at the ceremony.

It was not clear how many soldiers had now joined them.

General Ramos said earlier he had the support of 85 per cent of the military but fighting was reported in several parts of the capital. Mr Marcos, resisting all appeals to quit and vowing to fight to the end, was sworn in by Mr Justice Ramon Aquino, no relation to his rival.

Television coverage of the ceremony was cut off shortly before the swear-ing-in but a palace official said it went ahead. About the time Mr Marcos was being inaugurated, gunfire broke out near the chan-nel-9 television studio in Quezon City, between 60 loyalist soldiers and 25 troops loyal to the breakaway military officials.

Mr Marcos, who has said Mrs . Aquino’s inauguration would be illegal and unconstitutional, pledged he would not surrender the Presidency and declared he was still in control.

He clamped a night curfew on the country, proclaimed a state of emergency and urged supporters to bring guns to defend his palace in the centre of Manila.

Officials in Washington said President Reagan was sending his diplomatic troubleshooter, Mr Philip Habib, back to Manila as part of the United States drive to persuade Mr Marcos to go.

Further reports, page 10