President Arroyo said Saturday her government has discovered a coup plot by junior military officers and warned that they would be severely punished. âOn my orders, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police are hunting down to arrest a small band of rogue junior officers and soldiers who have deserted their posts and illegally brought weapons with them,â she said. Members of the Philippine Military Academy batches 94 and 95 are being pointed out as coup instigators. Mrs. Arroyo, a vice president who came to power in a military-led popular uprising in January 2001, said her government was in full control of the situation, warning âthe republic will exact the maximum penalty for the purveyors of mutiny or rebellion.â She also issued a warning to those âunscrupulous politicians who exploit the messianic complex of these officers for their naked ambitions. I call on our people to be vigilant and denounce these misguided elements.â
| Pretty much standard post-coup attempt rhetoric... |
Rumors that a military clique was plotting to overthrow the government have been swirling in Manila since last week but the President had dismissed them.
| Seems like it's over now... |
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