Philippine military says foils attempted coup

MANILA - Philippine security forces said today they stopped a coup attempt against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and were investigating three commanders of elite units.

Rumours of plots against Arroyo, who survived a crisis last year over allegations of vote-rigging and corruption, have been running high around this week's anniversary of a "people power" revolt that toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.

Last week, the army said it uncovered a scheme called "Oplan Hackle" that would include the overthrow of Arroyo and creation of a military junta after a mass escape of officers facing trial for leading a failed mutiny in July 2003.

"We believe that we have quashed a coup," Lieutenant-General Hermogenes Esperon, the army chief, said in a interview on an early morning television news programme.

Esperon said the commanders were being held as the alleged leaders of armed troops who planned to join protests against Arroyo by her political foes and former allies today.

There have been a dozen coup attempts in the Philippines in the last 20 years but some analysts suspect Arroyo's government of playing up security threats to ward off would-be plotters and gain public sympathy.

The army said in a statement three senior officers were under investigation after being relieved of their posts -- commanders of the Scout Rangers regiment, a Marine brigade and the national police's Special Action Force.

Police cancelled permits for several rallies today and school classes were suspended after the military said it had foiled the plot. Security had been beefed up before dawn at the presidential palace and army and police camps in Manila.

Arroyo called off a planned trip to the central Philippines.

Senior commanders met during the night to assess the threat and confront the alleged plotters, Esperon said on radio.

"Through timely reaction and dialogue, they decided not to carry out their plan to join the rallies," he said. "They had other intentions after the rallies."

Yesterday, military officials linked former army colonel and opposition senator Gregorio Honasan, hailed as a hero in the uprising against Marcos, to the plot to unseat Arroyo.

Army officials said he was recruiting junior officers to take part in "Oplan Hackle". Honasan denied the allegations.

- REUTERS