BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR

PRESIDENT Arroyo has cancelled her attendance at the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Homecoming in Baguio City tomorrow because of "serious security threats," including a possible assassination plot, Brig. Gen. Romeo Prestoza, commander of the Presidential Security Group, said yesterday.

Prestoza said the threats discovered by the police last week are coming from the regional terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah and its local ally, the Abu Sayyaf.

He said Arroyo was one of the personalities targeted by the JI. The other targets are embassies. Details will have to come from police and intelligence officials, Prestoza said. There are the "usual threats from the Left," he added.

Prestoza denied Arroyo cancelled the trip so she could stay in Manila and monitor anti-government rallies today.

He also belied talks the alleged plot was made public to divert attention from controversies hounding government, the latest of which were anomalies in the national broadband network deal awarded by government to the Chinese firm ZTE Corp.

Government has a history of ramping up security threats ahead of political rallies to deter people from joining.

Security analysts were skeptical that JI would target the PMA when its members are on the run in the South.

"I don’t think we should give credence to these threats. These could be part of the government’s political posturing due to the political situation," said Mars Buan, an analyst at Pacific Strategies and Assessments, a risk consultancy.

Prestoza said they decided to skip the PMAAA homecoming event as it will be held in a big venue and attended by a big crowd.

He said it was not clear if the attack would be launched at the homecoming.

PART OF THE JOB

Asked how the President took the news of the assassination plot, Prestoza said she has not been fully briefed about the latest threat but she was already aware of previous plots from the Left.

PNP chief Avelino Razon said the PNP last week got hold of several documents regarding an alleged plot against Arroyo.

"In the investigation, it was learned that the documents were recovered in a parking lot in the Metro Manila area. It was initially theorized that the documents were accidentally left by its owner," he said. He said the documents were turned over by a security guard last week.

The documents are now with the PNP’s Intelligence Group.

After an initial analysis, the IG concluded that the documents outlined a plan to monitor several locations and individuals to include Arroyo.

MOVEMENTS MONITORED

In its report, the IG said it is "certain" that the movements of the President, particularly the presidential convoy, are being monitored.

Razon said on the basis of the initial findings, the PNP advised the PSG to limit Arroyo’s movements while the PNP tries to dig deeper into the report.

Razon said the PNP has already sought the assistance of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.

He said the group behind the plot has contacts with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, JI or the Abu Sayyaf.

The documents showed the group also plans to case a number of embassies and conduct bombings.

"Ang naka-draw ng attention natin ay ang target daw nila ang Pangulo at mukhang alam ang lahat ng schedule ng Pangulo, ang mga rota na dadaanan," Razon said.

He said the police tapped a translator for the Arabic words in the document.

"May kaunting detalye dito ng plot at inaalam natin kung nasa Metro Manila na sila. Ang mga ganitong klaseng information ay talagang hindi puwedeng bale-walain," he said.

HIGH-VALUE TARGET

AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., asked why the JI and the Abu Sayyaf would be interested in killing the President, said: "Well, that’s the nature of terrorists. If they could go for the highest value target, then they will go for it. After all, terrorists always want to create panic among the populace."

He said the ultimate plan is to "destabilize the situation and take advantage of a situation where there is chaos."

Esperon said the military is revealing the plot not to scare the people who plan to join today’s anti-government rally in Makati City.

"The reports are very current and there have been validations and ongoing validations. This is just to put in context everything, that we are doing this not for political (reasons)… We are simply acting as security forces and so we have deemed it necessary that we come out in the open about our assessment of the situation," he said.

Pressed why the military is revealing the assassination plot on the eve of the protest rallies, Esperon said: "It would be better to say it now rather than to say it when things have happened."

he 2005 Valentine’s Day bombings. – With Raymond Africa, Victor Reyes and Reuters