Bets anyone?
Explosion rocks Palace, President's guards investigate
AN explosion rocked Malacañang Monday noon, alarming Presidential guards and Palace employees.
The explosion tore to pieces a plastic trash bin near the Mabini Hall.
No one was hurt in the incident.
The Presidential Security Group is investigating the incident.
A palate? Oh no!
My husband's best friend is due to join his girlfriend in the Philippines in three days.
Blast at presidential palace
From correspondents in Manila
February 20, 2006
A LOUD explosion was heard on the grounds of the Philippine presidential palace today, television station ANC said.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Witnesses said a green garbage can was shredded by the blast, which brought government workers from their offices.
The army tightened security yesterday after finding a bomb in its top military academy, one of the alleged targets of a plot to overthrow and possibly kill President Gloria Arroyo.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18208571%255E1702,00.html
Christian or Jewish Terrorists, no doubt.
Save the shoes!!!! Oh wait, I forgot, Imelda doesn't live there anymore.
Garbage can explodes inside Malacañan
A plastic garbage container exploded inside the Malacañan compound Monday morning, ANC reported.
ANC correspondent Timi Nubla said garbage container used by palace gardeners exploded some 20 feet across Mabini Hall near Gate 7 of the presidential palace at around 12:05 p.m.
She said the explosion toppled a coconut tree and was loud enough to be heard inside the Malacañan Press Office some 20 feet away.
ABS-CBN correspondent Ruby Bernardo Tayag said the explosion occurred minutes before a scheduled luncheon between President Arroyo and officials of the Intellectual Property Office.
Brig. Gen. Delfin Bangit, chief of the Presidential Security Group, said no bomb was found after conducting several sweeps in the area.
He added that the explosion could have been caused by a mixture of cleaning chemicals.
On Saturday, military sources revealed the discovery of a bomb at the Philippine Military Academy during a reunion of academy alumni.
The sources told Reuters that the device, loaded with about 2 kilos of TNT, was found late on Saturday hidden in a clutch bag near the PMA parade ground, where President Arroyo was meant to attend an annual reunion this weekend.
The academy's superintendent declined to confirm the discovery.
"We are still investigating," Brig. Gen. Leopoldo Maligalig told Reuters by telephone.
Mrs. Arroyo, who is commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, skipped the gathering after a coup plot by fugitive mutineers was revealed last week.
Explosion heard at Philippine presidential palace
20 Feb 2006 04:22:02 GMT
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/MAN001048.htm
Source: Reuters
MANILA, Feb 20 (Reuters) - A loud explosion was heard on the grounds of the Philippine presidential palace on Monday, television station ANC said.
There were no immediate reports of casualties. Witnesses said a green garbage can was shredded by the blast, which brought government workers from their offices.
The army tightened security on Sunday after finding a bomb in its top military academy, one of the alleged targets of a plot to overthrow and possibly kill President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Philippine police placed on full alert nationwide amid coup threats, planned protests
http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=4520596&nav=0s3d
MANILA, Philippines The 117-thousand-member Philippine police force has been put on full alert due to a new coup plot against President Gloria Arroyo and planned protests by groups seeking her ouster.
A police official says the red-alert status went into force last night. Arroyo discussed security threats earlier at a meeting with the military's top brass at the presidential palace. A general says the coup plot was hatched by a group of disgruntled soldiers who want to replace Arroyo with a civilian-led revolutionary council.
The military says the plotters are recruiting young officers but it downplays any immediate danger, saying the plan's been "disrupted" and claiming the would-be mutineers appear to have limited capability.
UPDATE:
Philippine presidential palace says blast not bomb
20 Feb 2006 04:52:21 GMT
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/MAN297637.htm
MANILA, Feb 20 (Reuters) - An explosion on the grounds of the Philippine presidential palace on Monday was probably caused by chemicals in a trash bin set off by a lit cigarette, not a bomb, the head of security told reporters.
"Nobody was injured," press undersecretary Isabel de Leon told reporters, adding President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was inside the palace at the time.
The army tightened security on Sunday after finding a bomb in its top military academy, one of the alleged targets of a plot to overthrow and possibly kill Arroyo, who survived an impeachment attempt last year over allegations of vote-rigging and graft.
Why, the ROP strikes again, of course.
ROP strikes again?
I'm guessing it was a York peppermint patty. Today was National Chocolate Mint Day, as we all know.
I wonder if it's related to the big karaoke blow-up a couple of days ago?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1581074/posts
Misunderstood insurgents. Bush is the real enemy.
Too much bean dip?