Philippine hotel reopens after coup bid

Manila: A hotel that was the scene of an attempted coup last week reopened on Monday as the government formally laid charges of rebellion against 36 people.

Workers replaced marble tiles in the Manila Peninsula lobby and plastered and repainted the walls of the luxury hotel, obliterating bullet marks and other signs of the assault.

A glass door shattered by an armoured personnel carrier was boarded up and decorated with a Christmas wreath.

Senator Antonio Trillanes, former vice president Teofisto Guingona and other soldiers stormed the hotel on Thursday. They have been charged with rebellion, which is punishable by life in prison.

Peter Wallace, president of consultancy firm The Wallace Business Forum, said events like the botched coup could have some effect on direct investment.

"It's certainly going to cause them to pause in their thinking," he said. "Someone in London... seeing the front of what's supposed to be a very safe 5-star hotel just wiped off, is going to say, hey my board isn't going to allow this investment."