Marcos denies part in revolt

Press, 8 July 1986, Page 10

Marcos denies part in revolt

NZPA-Reuter Honolulu The former president of the Phllilppines, Ferdinand Marcos, said yesterday he had nothing to do with the attempted revolt in Manila, but blamed the Government of Corazon Aquino for the situation. "All I am asking my countrymen to do right now is to prevent bloodhshed,” Mr Marcos said outside his rented beachfront home in Honolulu.

Referring to the coup attempt by his political ally and former vicepresidential candidate, Arturo Tolentino, he said: "I understand there are negotiations going on. Let the negotiations succeed. . “Let not the military be divided against communism. The principal enemy is communism,” he said.

The Marcos household bad been awakened at dawn when aides could be heard shouting' into telephones, apparently trying to obtain the latest reports on the coup attempt. Asked about reports from Manila quoting Tolentino as saying he had a letter from Mr Marcos authorising him to take over leadership of the Philippines temporarily, Mr Marcos replied: “That was a long time ago. “That was immediately after I left the Philippines under circumstances which you already know,” he said, referring to February 26 when he arrived in Honolulu with his family to go into exile after being ousted from the Philippines.

“The actions of Tolentino were the result of actions by the Government of Aquino,” Mr Marcos said.