DILG chief: No more coup attempts

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said yesterday that anti-government forces no longer have the capability to oust President Arroyo.

"From the national security perspective, there is no more danger of a coup or anything of that sort," Puno told reporters in a briefing at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

However, Puno said the opposition, rightist soldiers and communist rebels would continue their efforts to remove Mrs. Arroyo from office.

"Although these people will continue to mount coups, I think there’s no more serious threat to the stability of the government. I don’t think they are still capable of overthrowing the government, but, you know, these exercises actually pain us," he said.

Puno appealed to former senator Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan to surrender peacefully to the authorities and face charges in court.

According to reports, Honasan’s name cropped up in the course of the investigation into the recent spate of bombings that hit Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

But PNP chief Director General Arturo Lomibao refused to link any specific individuals to the recent series of bombing attacks.

"The investigation is ongoing, the interrelated matters will be checked," said Lomibao.

Lomibao said that the PNP Bomb Data Center, including the recently organized investigation group headed by Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) Director Marcelo Ele Jr., would zero in on every possible suspect.

"We will collate these incidents with previous other bombings. We will compare the types of bombs that were used and also check involvement of certain personalities in the bomb attacks," said Lomibao.

Meanwhile, Taong Bayan at Kawal (Tabak) released a statement disowning any responsibility for the bomb attacks. TABAK had been the first group to claim responsibility for the attacks.

"The bomb explosions are really the handiwork of the government for its own political ends," Tabak said in a statement sent to Camp Crame Press Office.

Puno, however, dismissed Tabak’s latest claims, saying "the PNP
works on the basis of existing facts."

"It’s crazy to give credence to the statement that the authorities

are the ones behind all of these things. The PNP has proven that they are out to make things more peaceful and to normalize the life of everybody. That’s why people have been working 24 hours a day to do this and for us to be doing what they are accusing us of is ridiculous," Puno said.