The World : New Manila Coup Scare

The Philippine army deployed troops and tanks at the presidential palace in Manila after an ambush raised fears of a new coup attempt. Troops took up positions at the gates of the palace compound after gunmen killed a police sergeant and wounded another about two miles to the northeast. Officials said at least 16 people, including a mayor, police chief, an army intelligence officer and a leftist farm leader, were killed nationwide in the previous 24 hours in politically motivated violence. The coup scare arose about seven hours before the military began what it said was an exercise to test its capability to respond to new attacks from either Communist or military rebels.