Charges confirm fresh plot to overthrow government

MANILA, Philippines - The government on Thursday confirmed fresh attempts at a power grab with the filing of charges against a former lawmaker and five military officials. The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday said it filed charges of plotting coup d’etat, obstruction of justice and swindling/estafa against Homobono A. Adaza, Army Lt. Col. Oscarlito P. Mapalo, retired Marine Cols. Ernie A. Amboy and Cesar A. dela Peña and former Police Supt. Rafael A. Cardeño. Mr. Adaza was a member of the Marcos regime Batasang Pambansa. The five suspects were arrested on Wednesday in Pasig City. Retired Marine Col. Edgardo Tapia, also a member of their group, was also charged with the same offenses but is still at-large. "We have reason to believe that these people are plotting against the government. Even as we speak, follow-up operations are under way to get to the bottom of this coup plot," PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director Chief Supt. Raul Castañeda told reporters in a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City. He noted the involvement of other personalities in the plot, but stopped short of disclosing names. Mr. Castañeda said the arrest of the five was based on a complaint of Raymond Fortun and Joanna Laurilla, legal counsel and general manager of Buenavista Island, respectively. Mr. Fortun was one of the counsels of ex-President Joseph E. Estrada in the plunder case at the Sandiganbayan. Buenavista Island, a resort in Buenavista, Marinduque, is owned by Gold Barrel Social Club, Inc. A number of Japanese investors, two of whom were only identified as Kobonori and Hashimoto, funded the resort’s construction. On paper, however, Gold Barrel has five Filipino incorporators, with Manuel Copon as president and Emmanuel Galdo as vice-president. At Thursday’s inquest proceedings in Camp Crame, Mr. Fortun said Island Country Resorts, Inc. (ICR) consultant Motonori Sakuma sought his advice on the delay of the construction of Buenavista Island in December last year. ICR is the Japan-based owner of Gold Barrel. Mr. Fortun said he suggested a change in management, replacing the two Filipino officials with people appointed by the Japanese investors. But the local executives did not sign the documents transferring the management control to the Japanese appointees. On May 15, the Japanese investors sought the services of OMT Security Services, Inc., reportedly owned by Mr. Adaza and the military officials, for suggestions on how the Japanese investors can recover management control of Gold Barrel. Mr. Fortun said the proposals were the filing of cases against Messrs. Copon and Galdo in the Department of Labor and Employment, asking the National Bureau of Investigation to intercede, or staging a coup plot to ensure the success of their "project." Mr. Fortun said OMT proposed that the Japanese businessmen raise $4 million to finance a coup d’etat to be organized by OMT’s "friends in the military." After being rejected in several meetings, Mr. Fortun said Mr. Adaza’s group threatened that "something unpleasant" will happen if he [Mr. Fortun] did not comply with the group’s wishes. Before another meeting among himself, Ms. Laurilla and Mr. Adaza’s group, he consulted the matter with CIDG Metro Manila chief Senior Superintendent Asher Dolina. On Wednesday, Ms. Laurilla went to Room 202 of Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila in Pasig City and called Mr. Dolina, letting police operatives hear the whole conversation between her and Mr. Adaza’s group. After the meeting, the police arrested the alleged plotters. "I did not extort any money from anyone. And how could I possibly stage a coup d’etat... Those soldiers are retired soldiers," Mr. Adaza told reporters after the inquest proceedings. Mr. Mapalo underwent court martial in 2005 for questioning the military promotion system. He escaped military custody and was no longer in active military service since then. Mr. Cardeño was one of the founding leaders of the Young Officers Union (YOU) and has a pending case with the Pasay Regional Trial Court for murder. Mr. dela Peña has a pending case with the Sandiganbayan for illegal sale of government-issued weapons in 2001. State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco ordered a hospital arrest for Mr. Adaza. The others, meanwhile, will be detained at the CIDG custodial center. Bail was set at P120,000 for Messrs. Adaza, Mapalo, Dela Peña and Amboy. Meanwhile, Malacañang said it is looking into the alleged new ouster plot. "The case obviously involves national security issues, hence, we are constantly monitoring the developments. Since this is in the hands of the Philippine National Police, we would rather leave this matter to the proper agencies to handle," said Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza. — Jhoanna Frances S. Valdez with Alexis Douglas B. Romero, BusinessWorld