Coup plot reports rejected

Armed forces chief of staff General Benjamin Defensor said he has been receiving reports of a coup plot targeting President Gloria Arroyo, but dismissed them as rehashed "old stories".

Gen. Defensor identified the 5th Strike Wing and the special operations wing of the air force as the coup plotters, adding this was meant to link him to the plot.

He was air force chief before he was appointed chief of staff in September. "The report has no credibility," he noted, adding that the military remains united behind Arroyo.

Earlier, reports in military camps said Defensor would lead a coup for the installation of a military junta.

"We are so busy fighting the terrorists that we don't have time for coups," he said. "We will not allow anyone to use the armed forces to change the government. We have been through that exercise (in 1986 and in 2001)." "Ill-meaning sectors of society and enemies of the state" are behind the coup rumours, he claimed, but did not give more details.

Other sources said the plotters are recruiting soldiers belonging to three army divisions based in Luzon, the special operations command in camp Tecson in northern suburban Bulacan, the Marines in Makati's Fort Bonifacio and an air force strike wing. The sources quoted reports from the army headquarters.

An army major showed messages exchanged among officers' about the coup in late November or in December.

Other sources alleged that the coup leaders are Maj. Gen. Efren Abu (of the second infantry division in suburban Tanay, Rizal); Maj. Gen. Alvarado (of the 5th infantry division in Isabela, northern Luzon); and Maj. Gen. Alberto Braganza (of the 7th infantry division in Nueva Ecija, northern Luzon).

A Makati businessman claimed that several coup plotters approached him in September and warned that Arroyo would not last until December.

The plotters claimed that soldiers were enticed to join a mutiny because of reported government corruption and the worsening economy.

Other sources said the coup jitters were fuelled by the delay in the increase in soldier's pay, which was supposed to have been effective on October 22.

Ric Blancaflor, defence assistant secretary for personnel, said the military men were disgruntled because they had not received a partial increase of $ 11.53 (P 600) per soldier a month which was supposed to be given in October.