MANILA, 8 October 2005 — After surviving impeachment charges over alleged election fraud, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo yesterday hit back at her opponents, branding them coup plotters and thieves who sought to destroy Philippine relations with the United States in trying to bring her down.

Arroyo was reacting to US news reports that former intelligence analyst Leandro Aragoncillo, detained in the United States for alleged spying, had not only stolen Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) files but also documents allegedly damaging to her from the office of US Vice President Dick Cheney.

Speaking at a regional cooperative summit in the southern town of Koronadal, South Cotabato, Arroyo said that among the documents Aragoncillo allegedly passed to the “coup plotters” was the controversial lobbying contract signed by National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales with the US law firm Venable LLP.

“These coup plotters and thieves of classified information are trying to cover up their misdeed by throwing noise around at every opportunity,” said Arroyo, who had been accused of engaging in massive poll fraud in last year’s presidential election in the face of a strong challenge from popular movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. Poe died later last year without seeing his poll protest resolved.

Opposition politicians early this year released copies of a tape recording of Arroyo’s alleged conversations with election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano in which they discussed ways of winning in the election.

Amid an outrage, Arroyo apologized for a “lapse in judgment” in calling the election official, but maintained that she didn’t cheat.

In her speech yesterday in Koronadal, Arroyo faulted her foes for trying to destroy Philippine-US ties just to kick her out of office. “Imagine, they are even prepared to go to the extent of destroying Philippine-American relations just to serve their ambitions for power. But they have been caught, thanks to the US government,” she said.

Aragoncillo, a former US Marine, was charged last month with providing classified information from his FBI posting to former and current Philippine officials in opposition to Arroyo.

On Thursday, FBI agents said they were investigating whether Aragoncillo also stole information about the Philippines from the White House when he worked for Vice Presidents Al Gore and Dick Cheney from 1999 to 2002.

Of Little Use

The Philippine officials to whom he allegedly supplied the documents were not identified, but at least two have come forward.

Former President Joseph Estrada, Arroyo’s nemesis who was toppled in massive street protests in 2001 on plunder charges and remains in detention at his rest house, acknowledged receiving at least six US government reports from Aragoncillo.

Estrada admitted having received information from Aragoncillo but said these amounted to little more than summaries of the local press compiled by the US Embassy and shouldn’t be considered espionage.

“He was just describing how America sees the Philippines,” Estrada told The Associated Press by telephone.

“I don’t think that is classified. It pertains to graft and corruption, the first gentleman (Arroyo’s husband).”

He said the reports were prepared by the US Embassy and compared them to cables sent by diplomats describing the political and economic situation in their host countries.

“I didn’t give it too much importance. (US diplomats) were just reporting what they have read in newspapers,” Estrada said. “I don’t think that’s espionage.”

Separately, opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson has acknowledged receiving information from Michael Ray Aquino, a former top police official who acted as Aragoncillo’s alleged go-between, but described it as “shallow.”

“I did not get any information from Aragoncillo,” Lacson told reporters yesterday. “I was introduced to Aragoncillo by Aquino through e-mail. At first, he (Aragoncillo) sent me e-mail messages but these were only introductions and expressions of admiration, nothing damaging to the country or the United States.”

Money Trail

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales said yesterday he has ordered an investigation of opposition members on suspicion they provided money to Aragoncillo and Aquino.

“My theory is there should be a money trail here; that in the history of espionage, there is always money involved. So if this is the situation, who in the Philippines was the source of the funds used in the process of spiriting out the secret files of the FBI and the White House?” Gonzalez told reporters.

“The mere admission of Estrada that he has received ... documents, the mere fact that Lacson himself admits he has received some documents — except that they say these information is readily available in our newspapers — indicate the connection (with Aragoncillo),” he added.

Coup Rumors

Meanwhile, the army ordered troops yesterday to report and arrest people recruiting soldiers to join moves to remove Arroyo from power, as rumors swirled of fresh plots against her government.

“We have a standing order to monitor, report and arrest any person recruiting our troops to disobey lawful orders and break off from the chain of command,” Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, the army commander, told Reuters.

“Our soldiers are also authorized to shoot back and defend themselves under extreme cases. There’s no shoot-to-kill order.” (Input from INS & agencies)