A military official said Tuesday that renegade soldiers loyal to ousted President Ferdinand Marcos have organized a new strike force to try to topple President Corazon Aquino. Col. Guilleromo Ruiz, chief of staff of the National Capital Region Defense Command, told reporters in the capital that the new group called itself ``Marcos Army Lost Command.'' Ruiz said the force was made up of troops who deserted the Presidential Security Command after Marcos fled to Hawaii after the 1986 civilian-military uprising toppled his administration. ``Lost Command'' is a Filipino term for military units which desert and hire out as ``private armies'' of politicians, businessmen and others. Military officials gave no estimate of the size of the group. They said the renegades were believed linked to forces loyal to renegade former Lt. Col. Reynaldo Cabauatan, who has been sought since a coup attempt in January 1987. Troops in the Manila area went on alert Saturday to guard against coup attempts while President Aquino visited Brunei. She was expected to return Wednesday after a three-day visit. On Monday, troops raided suspected right-wing hideouts in the Manila area and arrested three renegades believed linked to former Brig. Gen. Jose Marie Zumel. The former superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy is also sought in the January 1987 coup attempt. The government said that coup attempt, which included the seizing of military and media facilities in the capital, was designed to pave the way for Marcos to return from exile in Hawaii.
