By Xinhua,
Manila : The Philippines police chief Thursday said that they have detected and foiled a new coup plot against the government of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Avelino Razon, director of the Philippine national police, briefed the media about the new coup plot one day after police arrested five suspects believed to have participated in previous coups.
Three of the five arrested served in the army, one was a former police officer, and the other was a congressman-turned-counsel who lately chose to speak for mutiny soldiers.
“We have reason to believe that they are plotting against the government,” Razon told television channel ANC in an early morning show.
But he said the authority has not yet seen active police or military personnel in the coup plot.
“Even as we speak, follow-up operations are ongoing to get to the bottom of this new coup plot,” Razon said.
The police late Wednesday said former congressman and human rights lawyer Homobono Adaza was nabbed on his way to a lunch party in a shopping mall in the national capital region and is likely to be charged for “proposal to commit coup d’etat”.
Arroyo, who is considered by many as the most corrupt president, has been hounded with several impeachment bids and coup plots in the past five years.