Troops end Manila coup attempt
Thursday, 29 November 2007 23:02
Philippine troops have stormed a hotel in Manilla to force out a small band of renegade soldiers who were demanding that President Gloria Arroyo step down.
The group, which seized and occupied the luxury the Peninsula Hotel to drive home their criticisms of the Arroyo government, gave themselves up after a confrontation.
When the rebels ignored an army deadline to surrender, troops in armoured personnel carriers stormed the building.
The rebel leaders announced their surrender soon after, saying they were going out 'for the safety of everybody.'
They were arrested, along with a senator and a handful of priests who had occupied the plush hotel in the sprawling city of 12 million people.
Most of the guests had been evacuated before the assault, but over 100 people, including hotel staff and journalists, were caught in the midst of the raid.
Rebel leader Antonio Trillanes, a navy lieutenant who was elected as a Senator in May while still on trial for a failed 2003 coup , was taken to prison along with another of the rebellion's leaders, Brigadier General Danilo Lim.
Former Philippine vice president Teofisto Guingona was also taken away.
It was a quick conclusion to what had apparently been a well orchestrated move by Mr Trillanes and Mr Lim.
It started when Mr Trillanes and some other soldiers walked out of their own trial for the 2003 coup, escorted by guards assigned to keep them from escaping.
They marched to the Peninsula Hotel in Manila's Makati district, took over the building, and called for the overthrow of President Arroyo.
- Six One News: Bethan Kilfoil reports that rebels had occupied a luxury hotel in Manila calling for the overthrow of the president, Gloria Arroyo
- One News: Bethan Kilfoil reports on the quashing of an attempted coup in the Philippines by government troops, where rebel soldiers occupied a luxury hotel
- Nine News: Watch the video
