Manilla, Philippines ? Police arrested at least three vocal critics of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and raided a newspaper Saturday following her declaration of a state of emergency to quash a coup plot.

Arroyo set off an uproar with her decree Friday as Filipinos celebrated the 20th anniversary of dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ ouster in a “people power” revolt, and even some supporters questioned the move.

“I was appalled,” said her most crucial ally, former President Fidel Ramos, a military commander whose withdrawal of support for Marcos helped bring about his downfall.

Ramos stood by Arroyo at the height of a crisis that nearly unseated her last year, and his joining her critics left her more isolated than ever.

Like others, he compared the emergency declaration to the martial-law dictates that Marcos used to stay in power. Ramos accused Arroyo of “killing the spirit” brought by democracy protests two decades ago and said the decree seemed unjustified since no actual coup attempt occurred.

The emergency declaration bans rallies, allows arrests without warrants, permits the president to call in the military to intervene and lets her take over facilities – including media outlets – that may affect national security.