MANILA, 8 July 2006 — Six fugitive junior military officers and a lawyer were captured yesterday in a raid that, officials say, may have foiled a plot to attack Congress when President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo delivers her annual "State of the National" later this month.

A composite team of army and police intelligence operatives swooped on a house in Manila’s suburb of Quezon City near the Batasan complex — which houses the House of Representatives — before dawn and arrested the suspects, seizing guns, bombs, documents, and a blueprint of the government building, they said.

“As we all know, the state of the nation address of the president is approaching,” national police chief Oscar Calderon told a news conference at the military national headquarters.

Arroyo is set to deliver the annual policy address at the legislature on July 24.

“It’s too early to jump into conclusions, but we are looking at bits of pieces of information and we are trying to put them together,” said Gen. Generoso Senga, armed forces chief of staff.

Officials said the group rented the house several weeks ago and the authorities pounced after a three-day stakeout.

Blueprint of Destruction

Senior Superintendent Asher Dolina, chief of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in metropolitan Manila, said the three kilograms of C-4 explosives seized in the raid “are enough to blow up a tall building.”

Dolina wondered how the renegade officers came in possession of the blueprint since “only the DPHW (Department of Public Works and Highways) has the blueprints of public buildings,” and why they chose to move to a location near the Batasan just before Arroyo is set to deliver her address.

Dolina said the assault on the fugitives’ lair lasted about two minutes.

He said that when the raiders barged in, four of the suspects tried to escape by jumping off from the second floor and were injured. One of them almost broke his leg.

Perennial Threats

The rebel officers were said to be members of Magdalo, a military faction linked to a foiled coup plot against Arroyo that was uncovered earlier this year, as well as another coup attempt in July 2003.

Police have also named the group as potentially responsible for a recent spate of bombings in Manila.

Calderon said police ordnance experts would compare the high explosives that were seized in the raid with evidence previously gathered from the blasts “to determine if the components found at the blast scenes are the same.”

Arroyo purged the military brass and filed charges of rebellion and attempting a coup d’etat against a number of opposition political figures in February after accusing the officers and politicians of plotting with communist guerrillas to topple her.

The arrested officers were identified as Capt. Nathaniel Rabonza, 1st Lts. Patricio Bumidang Jr. and Sonny Sarmiento, 2nd Lts. Angelbert Gay and Aldrin Baldonado, all of the army, and navy Lt. Kiram Sadaba.

Rabonza, Bumidang and Sarmiento, along with another rebel officer, 1st Lt. Lawrence San Juan, escaped from a military jail on Jan. 17. San Juan was arrested a month later.

Some had long hair and sported beards and mustaches. Their hands were handcuffed behind them and military escorts held their arms as they were presented to media.

Sarmiento gave dagger stares to reporters and security officials. The rest had blank expressions.

Aside from the C-4 and blueprint, three M16 rifles, eight hand grenades, one carbine, three detonating cords, and three blasting caps seized from the six officers were also presented.

Police said the lawyer was Christopher Belmonte, who had been out on bail on rebellion charges following his arrest alongside Lieutenant San Juan in February. Police invited for questioning two civilians and two children who were with the seven in the rented house: Michael Yamzon, his mother Bettina Balderama, and their two wards.

Officials said they were not considered suspects yet. Calderon expressed hope that the arrests would ease uncertainty over possible coup plots. He also expressed confidence that Gregorio Honasan, a former army colonel and ex-senator, who has gone into hiding after being linked to attempts to oust Arroyo, would soon be captured.

Honasan, who led several bloody coup attempts against then-President Corazon Aquino in the 1980s, is believed to be one of the leaders in the efforts to oust Arroyo.

Arroyo has seen her popularity fall to record lows in recent months after the opposition released audiotapes last year allegedly showing that she cheated to win the May 2004 presidential election. She has denied any wrongdoing and vowed to finish her term. (With reports from the Inquirer News Service & Agencies)