As more information emerges about last weekend's failed mutiny in the Philippines, old fears about the stability of the country have resurfaced. The peaceful conclusion of the episode is to be applauded, but charges that the rebellion was a cover for a coup d'etat raised again the specter of instability. The rebels' failure to win sympathy from fellow officers is reassuring, but their grievances are real. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo must punish the troops, but she must be equally committed to rooting out the source of their complaints.
Recent Philippine history is littered with coups, some real, some imagined. By one count, there have been eight major coup attempts since 1986. Far too often, the armed forces have been pivotal in bringing about changes in government in Manila. Last weekend, nearly 300 soldiers -- many of them among the elite -- barricaded themselves in a five-star hotel in Manila's financial district. They claimed to have rigged explosives around the hotel and its shopping center. Troops loyal to the government surrounded the rebels, while the government demanded they return to their barracks. After a 19-hour standoff, and two delayed deadlines, the mutineers complied.
The rebels complained that the government had armed and abetted militant fighting groups to allow the president to extend her term in office. They said the government had gone so far as to stage terror attacks, including deadly bombings, to win funding and support from the United States. They also accused superior officers of corruption and incompetence.