The police filed charges of rebellion against 16 people suspected of plotting to overthrow President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, among them a former opposition senator, five members of the House of Representatives, a communist rebel leader and soldiers. "Leftist and rightist movements have conspired to overthrow the duly constituted government," said Virgilio Pablico, a police investigator.

Mrs. Arroyo"s state of emergency decree banning rallies and allowing arrests without warrants remained in effect as two groups of lawyers and other citizens petitioned the Supreme Court to lift it as unconstitutional, and dozens of protesters tried to storm the House of Representatives. Schools across Manila, the capital, were closed in an apparent bid to prevent students from protesting against Mrs. Arroyo.