MANILA, Philippines (AP) – Beep, beep! President about to flee the country. Beep, beep! Hoard groceries before banks collapse. Beep Beep! Troops rumbling into Manila.

None of those messages were true. But they spooked a lot of people and sent them running to the bank all the same.

Cell phone text messages have turned up the pitch on the political crisis in the Philippines. No one seems to know – or care – who starts them or whether they’re based on fact. Just read ‘em – then pass ‘em on to a few friends.

A sort of cell phone version of spam, they seem harmless enough. But recent history shows just what a potent force they can be.

In 2001, text messages helped bring hundreds of thousands of protesters into the streets for “people power” rallies that forced out Philippine President Joseph Estrada. Texting was also a key tool in mobilizing people for massive anti-Japan protests that turned violent in several major Chinese cities a few months ago.

Now texters are at it again as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo tries to claw her way out of a crisis over allegations she rigged last year’s election. The messages have helped heighten the drama, feeding rumors that Arroyo is on the verge of quitting.

Texting is a fast, cheap way to send information that carries the urgency of a phone call. Messages can be forwarded by pushing a few buttons, which makes tracing a source difficult. That’s a big plus in places like China where the government tries to throttle the flow of information.

One message circulating in recent days said Arroyo was negotiating a flight into exile. Another warned of an imminent run on the banks that would leave people unable to withdraw money to buy groceries.

Texters reported seeing a convoy of troops driving into the capital as generals plotted a coup. That spooked more than a few people in a country where the military played a role in two popular uprisings over the last 19 years.

The messages even worked their way into Congress as lawmakers held hearings about wiretapped phone recordings of Arroyo seeking assurances from an election official that she would win by at least 1 million votes.

Lawmakers were frequently citing recent text messages they had received, annoying the proceedings’ chairman so much that he banned spouting unsourced texting.

Filipinos have long loved texting because it helps them stay in touch with family and friends living across the sprawling archipelago or working overseas. At just two cents, a domestic message is a fraction of a voice call.

“I’ve seen reports that said the Philippines alone accounted for 10 to 15 percent of the global text message traffic,” said Ramon Isberto, spokesman for Smart Communications, one of the country’s main mobile phone companies.

Isberto said the political crisis, like others in recent years, has caused a surge in texting. But he said there were more messages during the Estrada crisis because the event unfolded more quickly.

“This is a relatively slow burn,” he said.

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