A special agent has said that fear for his life made him reveal the plan of the opposition to assassinate key political figures to bring about destabilisation, and pave the way for a power grab from President Gloria Arroyo.

"My companions went missing one by one. We were being isolated. Only me and another person remained of the civilian agents who were originally trained for the destabilisation plot that was hatched by the Presidential Anti Organised Crime Task Force (PAOCTF)," said a certain "Ador", a self-proclaimed civilian agent.

He revealed details of the plot against Arroyo, which he claimed involved kidnap-for-ransom activities to raise funds for the assassination of an estimated 10 key figures in Philippine politics.

Former police chief and senator elect, Panfilo Lacson, headed PAOCTF during the time of former president Joseph Estrada. Arroyo recently abolished the agency following reports that Lacson and his men were allegedly involved in kidnap-for-ransom activities that preyed on arrested Chinese drug traffickers.

Ador claimed that Lacson "has something to do" with the June 18 kidnapping of Mary Grace Cheng-Rogasas, daughter of foam magnate, Robert Cheng, who was said to have paid $ 600,000 (P 20 million) for her freedom.

Apart from Lacson, "Ador" said former PAOCTF officials, Supt. Michael Ray Aquino, Supt. Glenn Dumlao, Supt. Cesar Mancao and Supt. Teofilo Vino, were also involved in the Cheng kidnapping. "Ador" revealed that eight other people were to be kidnapped for ransom to raise funds for the plot against the Arroyo government. "They have not yet implemented their plan because of the alert level created by my recent revelations. But if they get a chance, I think they will implement the plan."

The group's hit-list included Vice-President Teofisto Guingona, Jr; Ombudsman Aniano Desierto, who is now prosecuting Estrada for plunder and other lesser charges at the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court; former llocos Sur governor Luis "Chavit" Singson, who exposed Estrada's alleged involvement in the gambling payoff and briberies last year which led to the ex-president's ouster on January 20; former Equitable-PCI Bank vice-president Clarissa Ocampo, who revealed at the senate impeachment trial last December that Estrada had signed for a certain Jose Velarde in a management agreement with the bank for a $10 million (P500 million) fund.

The hit list also included those who supported the four-day anti-Estrada rallies from January 16 to 20, which paved the way for Arroyo's ascendance to power. This list includes Sophia Zobel, daughter of billionaire businessman, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, who supported Arroyo's ascendance to power; Makati Business Club President Guillermo Luz; Fr Robert Reyes, dubbed as the "running priest"; Asia World President William Sy; two Chinese businessmen; and Dante Jimenez, chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption.

The inclusion of El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde on the hit-list surprised many people because he was Estrada's loyal supporter during the senate impeachment trial and the protest rallies that erupted because of the people's outrage when pro-Estrada senators prevented the prosecution from presenting evidence of Estrada's secret bank accounts.