Senator Honasan, six colonels charged

Jose Lina, the interior secretary, yesterday filed rebellion charges against Senator Gregorio Honasan and six other Army colonels, at the justice department, saying they were involved in a widespread plot to oust President Gloria Arroyo; Angelo Reyes, the Defense Secretary; and Victor Corpuz, the intelligence chief.

On July 4, Honasan attended a meeting with young military officers, 300 of whom eventually launched a military mutiny and took over Oakwood Tower at the commercial centre of Makati, the financial district, from late July 26 to late July 27, said Lina.

"In that meeting, which was held in a house in suburban San Juan, Honasan told the young officers to do everything they can, and use whatever means they have to launch a mutiny," said Lina. He added that Honasan and the young officers held a compact of brotherhood, by slashing their armpits to extract blood which they used to add colour to the red portion of a Philippine flag.

Lina referred to a plot to destabilise the government, identified as Campaign Plan Andres, copies of which was confiscated by government forces after the 300 rebel soldiers surrendered and returned to the barracks late evening of July 27.

The coup plot involved 500 to 1,000 soldiers who were tasked to attack Malacanang, the presidential palace.

The others were assigned to take over the airports in Cebu, central Philippines; General Santos, in the southern Philippines; and the Ninoy Aquino Interantional Airport in Metro Manila's Pasay City. Three coup leaders who were arrested have corroborated the content of the Campaign Plan Andres, Lina said.

The plot's intention is "to execute the mission with minimum damage to life, property, and institution with emphasis on speed, surprise, and shock action," the rebel soldiers's campaign said, adding its mission, as stated at phase three is the "installation of Kuya (Filipino word for older brother), a codename which referred to Honasan, on the top position".

The campaign's phase IV said the rebel soldiers would "transfer civil authority to a transition government, and the implementation of Honasan's National Recovery program as the first programme of action."

In a separate paper called, "The last revolution towards a new Philippine order," the plotters called themselves the "new Filipino heroes".

The campaign's phase one included "preparation, recruitment, consolidation, procurement of logistics, establishment of safe houses, identification of staging areas".

Investigations showed that safe houses included those owned by former President Joseph Estrada's son Jinggoy, his mistress Laarni Enriquez, and the mansion of Estrada's former aide, Mike Cardenas.

The campaign's paper said that phase two included taking down all targets, guiding defectors, and ensuring a five-day supply for equipment and the rebel forces.

In phase two, the campaign's paper said, all defectors will link up with the rebel soldiers at Makati City's Glorieta; establish barricades; take down GMA 7 (a major TV network), which will be utilised by an information team that will broadcast the group's takeover and call on the people for support.

Sources said that President Gloria Arroyo had ordered the arrest of soldiers two nights before July 27, when the plot of the rebel soldiers was uncovered.

Sources added that hours before the July 27 failed coup, the Philippine Navy had spotted and apprehended three vans of soldiers who were prepared to raid the armory in Sangley Point in suburban Cavite.

Meanwhile, Honasan who went underground last week, said in a telephone interview which was aired on radio, that he was "not in hiding".

"I am going around to various places," he said, but did not give more details.

He added he did not link up with the 100 Army Scout Rangers whom the military officers said were missing. "If there are 100 missing Scout Rangers, then I believe this is really bad news for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, but the rumour is absolutely untrue," he said.

"What is needed to be done (by the government) is to calm down and be circumspect about dealing with the problem. Resorting to political harassment and hurling charges without basis is not going to work," Honasan said.

"What's needed is government action to squarely face the issues raised by the disgruntled officers," he added.