Editorial
Say another prayer for the Philippines

These are dark hours indeed in the Philippines. Mobs have taken to the streets; the new government claims to have uncovered a plot to assassinate both the old president and the new one; and the city of Manila edges closer to martial law.

A number of extralegal developments has led the Philippines to this pass. The replacement of popularly elected President Joseph Estrada by his vice president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, was hardly by the book.

But it was needed. The astonishing corruption of Estrada simply had to stop. The nation's Supreme Court has blessed the takeover, and one would have hoped normalcy would return.

But supporters of Estrada have rioted, threatening the capital's security. It is said that many of the demonstrators have been paid for their troubles.

Arroyo has issued orders to arrest 11 people described as leaders of rebellion. They include Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile. Both have been involved in uprisings and coup attempts in the past, so their arrest, while again not exactly by the letter of the law, seems justified.

These troubles in the Philippines perhaps will not end until leadership from outside the dominant oligarchy can rise to the top. Arroyo has much the same kind of baggage that Estrada and Ferdinand Marcos brought to Malacanang Palace.

But for now, what is needed in Manila is a modicum of civility — enough quiet to allow the dust to settle and the capital to return to its business. Sorting out Philippines politics won't happen overnight.