The Magdalo Group was a group of dissident soldiers who staged the unsuccessful Oakwood mutiny. Made up of junior officers of all branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the group took over the Oakwood Premier Ayala Center in Makati and demanded the resignation of senior officers in the AFP and members of the Arroyo government, including the President herself. The group called themselves "Bagong Katipuneros"[1] (Filipino, "New Katipuneros"), but the Philippine press continued referring to them as the Magdalo Group.
| Magdalo Group | |
|---|---|
 Flag used by the Group | |
| Also known as | Bagong Katipuneros (lit. New Katipuneros) |
| Leader | Antonio Trillanes IV |
| Dates of operation | c. 2003–2008 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Motives | Overthrow of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| Ideology | Conservatism Filipino nationalism Anti-communism |
| Political position | Right-wing to far-right |
| Notable attacks | Oakwood mutiny (2003) Manila Peninsula siege (2007) |
On August 30, 2007, the Philippine National Police went on alert against an alleged Magdalo recruitment try in Bicol, targeting the Army's 9th Infantry Division. The effort was supposedly related to alleged destabilization efforts planned for the forthcoming promulgation by the Sandiganbayan on the plunder case against former President Joseph Estrada.[2]
Offshoot groups
editAfter the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, members of the Magdalo group shifted towards civic work.
Samahang Magdalo
editThe Samahang Magdalo is a civilian volunteer group launched by the Magdalo Group in 2008. The group uses social networking websites such as Friendster and Facebook to recruit supporters across the Philippines.[3]
Magdalo Party-list
editThe Samahang Magdalo established the Magdalo Party-List and sought party-list representation in the House of Representatives.
References
edit- ^ Laurel, Herman T (February 22, 2006). "Small setback..." The Daily Tribune. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved August 10, 2007.
- ^ GMA NEWS.TV, PNP on alert vs 'Magdalo' recruitment try in Bicol
- ^ Uy, Jocelyn (November 29, 2008). "Magdalo recruits civilians online". Inquirer.net. Archived from the original on December 2, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.