The President directed both military and police brass to unmask and penalize the "rumormongers in uniform" who have been peddling lies.
"Reports that former President Fidel V. Ramos is under government surveillance are malicious and false," she said in a statement, a few hours after Ramos arrived in Manila and sought a clarification from the President.
"I direct the Armed Forces Chief of Staff and the Philippine National Police Chief to investigate the source of these reports and mete out disciplinary action against any rumormongers in uniform who are playing into the hands of destabilizers," she said.
The President called Ramos as "a staunch political ally and a leading partner of the administration for peace, security and development."
"He is a soldier of unassailable ideals and a champion of the people and the republic," she said.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said reports linking Ramos to a coup plot might have been part of plans to sow intrigue and drive a wedge between Mrs. Arroyo and the former leader.
He admitted that Ramos, who helped install Mrs. Arroyo as President during the second People Power revolt in January 2001 and defended her at the height of resignation calls against her last July, is among the senior advisers of the President.
Ramos also attends crucial meetings of the National Security Council and the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council, according to Bunye.
Ramos has repeatedly denied allegations he was planning to overthrow the Arroyo government and even urged the people to rally behind the beleaguered Chief Executive.
Recently, Ramos urged the President to cut short her term to allow the shift to a parliamentary form of government next year. But the President opted to abide by the results of a plebiscite on the constitutional reforms.
Ramos asks Arroyo to personally clarify issue on coup d’etat
By RONNIEL C. DE GUZMAN
Former President Fidel V. Ramos yesterday called for President Arroyo to personally clarify reports on government surveillance on him, following rumors linking the former leader to a possible coup attempt against the Arroyo administration.
"I can go home to sleep soundly with my wife and enjoy my golden years if the President herself makes the clarification because this is already involving the highest national interest," Ramos said in a press conference held at the dignitary’s lounge of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) immediately after arriving from Taiwan at 11 a.m. yesterday. "This is being requested and not demanded to our President and commander-in-chief," he added.
Ramos jetted in from Taiwan with a small group of government and business leaders who were on a mission to help promote the country’s economic, social and cultural relations with Taiwan.
Ramos came with his wife, former First Lady Amelita "Ming" Ramos, Tony Ng, president of the Clark Development Corporation; Mark Smith, president of Angeles City Tourism Council, Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Lluch Cruz, and Undersecretary Rene Diaz, presidential assistant for Central Luzon.
The trip also included negotiations between the Philippines and Taiwan to create, develop and exploit for the benefit of both sides the so-called "Subic-Clark and Kaoshiung corridor."
In the press conference, Ramos took the opportunity to request Mrs. Arroyo to tell him and the nation about his involvement in an alleged coup attempt because he believes she has all the information available from both official and unofficial sources.
Ramos earlier denied any involvement in any coup plot against the President even as he challenged top US intelligence chief John Negroponte to prevail upon all his subordinates in the US embassy that authored the report to come out with the truth of the matter regarding what he described as an "flawed and nasty intelligence data."
The former President said he is clueless about the truth behind Malacañang placing him under close watch but urged Mrs. Arroyo come out with a clarification which "will help the people understand the situation and also help her in moving on especially with the economy."
Ramos named and commended a handful of officials, including former President Corazon C. Aquino, who came out and defended him at the height of the coup attempt controversy involving him.
Ramos expressed gratitude to the Department of Foreign Affairs, mainly Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Edcel Custodio for heeding his request to summon officials of the US Embassy to shed light on reports linking him to coup plots against the Arroyo government.
He also thanked Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, and Palace spokesman Ignacio Bunye.
Armed Forces spokesman Col. Tristan Kison was present at the airport press conference to belie reports that Ramos is under military and police surveillance after the former president allegedly expressed dissatisfaction with the Arroyo administration.
"We don’t have any intelligence reports linking former President Ramos, Sen. Gregorio Honasan or anyone from the ranks of the AFP to any coup plot," Kison said.
