Armed Forces Chief of Staff admits to the existence of a group of officers and politicians who wanted to overthrow President Arroyo. "We are sure they are also trying to regroup" and "We are doing everything that we can so that we can prevent them," he says.

Manila (AsiaNews/SCMP) – Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Generoso Senga said on Tuesday that he was asked by fellow commanders to join a military junta to overthrow President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, but turned them down.

Scout Rangers Brigadier-General Danilo Lim and Marines Colonel Ariel Querubin invited him to publicly withdraw the military's support for Mrs Arroyo.

Both told him they intended to march peacefully with former President Corazon Aquino and other civilian protesters and hoped he would lead them, but he refused.

They apparently hoped for a repeat of 2001, when the military chief and all the service commanders peacefully withdrew their support for Joseph Estrada, causing his government to collapse.

This public admission confirms claims that top elements in the armed forces were planning a coup involving opposition politicians and left-wing leaders to overthrow the government.

The coup was eventually thwarted by President Arroyo herself who declared a state of emergency on February 24 and deployed special units of the marines around government buildings.

With the state of emergency lifted a week later, 16 alleged conspirators were arrested and are still detained.

"We are sure they are also trying to regroup," General Senga said, adding: "We are doing everything that we can so that we can prevent them."

• philippines
• attempted
• military
• coup
• general
• generoso
• senga
• president
• gloria
• macapagal-arroyo