Foes of Aquino, Troops Clash at TV Station

MANILA — Government troops and supporters of Ferdinand E. Marcos clashed outside a walled television station where mutinous soldiers held out today after President Corazon Aquino announced she had crushed their revolt.

The coup attempt was the most serious effort by disgruntled soldiers to grab power since Aquino became president last February.

More than 160 rebel soldiers, about 50 pro-Marcos civilians and a few police held the complex housing Channel 7 and radio station DZBB. It was taken over in a pre-dawn coup attempt that included attacks on five military garrisons in which one rebel was killed and 16 were wounded.

271 Arrested

Defense Minister Rafael Ileto said 271 conspirators had been arrested and at least 70 remained at large.

Military chief Gen. Fidel V. Ramos said the mutineers were supporters of Marcos who wanted to destabilize the country before Monday’s nationwide plebiscite on Aquino’s proposed constitution, which guarantees her a six-year term.

About 300 Marcos supporters gathered on EDSA Boulevard late today near the broadcast center, where they built bonfires, hurled stones at police and shouted, “We want Marcos! We want Marcos!”

Troops fired tear gas and smoke bombs at the crowd several times. The crowd fell back, only to regroup and continue taunting police and troops. Reporters saw at least six Marcos loyalists taken into custody.

Links to Marcos Denied

Air Force Col. Oscar Canlas, the leader of rebels in the broadcast center, denied his group had links to Marcos. “We are fighting communism,” he said. “And we feel that the influence of communism has grown very fast” since Aquino came to power.

Aquino’s government has negotiated a cease-fire with Communist rebels and has held peace talks to end the 18-year-old insurgency.

Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Eduardo Ermita negotiated throughout the night with Canlas, but Aquino said “intensive military operations” might still be needed to oust the rebels.

The rebels released 37 station employees late today, and one of them said no other employees remained inside.