Police bare new coup attempt vs Arroyo go’vt (12:41 p.m.)
MANILA — Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Avelino Razon Jr. confirmed Thursday a new attempt to topple President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s government by a former lawmaker and four retired military officers who are now facing inquest proceedings.
Razon, in a television interview Thursday, said former lawmaker Homobono Adaza, Army Lieutenant Colonel Oscarlito Mapalo, retired Colonels Ernie Amboy and Cesar dela Peña, and police Superintendent Rafael Cardeño were arrested Wednesday by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for an alleged “proposal to commit coup d’etat”.
The authorities, according to Razon, are taking the charge seriously.
Senior State Prosecutor lawyer Emmanuel Velasco said Adaza and the retired officers were charged with a proposal to commit coup d’etat after lawyer Raymond Fortun complained Wednesday that Adaza was soliciting funds from the group to support the alleged coup plot.
“They were also charged with harboring for allegedly coddling Cardeño, for using aliases or fictitious names, as well as for swindling and estafa,” Velasco said.
Velasco added that they want to resolve the case before Saturday, adding that the respondents did not deny the alleged coup attempt during the inquest proceedings. (Sunnex)
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