The World - News from April 13, 1988

A renegade Philippine colonel threw his support behind an escaped coup leader and said he plans to attempt a new move against President Corazon Aquino. In a clandestine news release, Col. Reynaldo Cabauatan, an army officer loyal to ousted President Ferdinand E. Marcos, claimed to have joined forces with former Col. Gregorio (Gringo) Honasan, who escaped April 2 from a prison ship. Cabauatan said the military and 5,000 Manila policemen are ready to help overthrow Aquino, who is to leave Thursday for a four-day visit to China. The army went on red alert. Meanwhile, Gen. Renato de Villa, military chief of staff, ordered the release of 61 soldiers and 55 policemen allegedly involved in Honasan’s Aug. 28 coup attempt, citing insufficient evidence against them.