Philippines siege: Dozens charged

Danilo Lim (L) was among those arrested at the hotel

Prosecutors in the Philippines have charged 36 people with trying to stage a rebellion.

The charges are in relation to last week's siege, in which 14 soldiers walked out of a trial for a previous mutiny and seized the Peninsula Hotel.

They surrendered after six hours, when government forces drove an armoured carrier into the hotel and fired tear gas and warning shots.

Opponents of President Arroyo say she is corrupt and should resign.

'Unconstitutional'

State prosecutors formally charged the 36 suspects for seizing the hotel by force as part of a plot "to topple the government and replace it with a new government", according to the French news agency AFP.

The 14 military officers have been charged with rebellion, as have several Roman Catholic priests, former vice-President Teofisto Guingona and the firebrand naval officer-turned-politician, Senator Antonio Trillanes, one of the ringleaders of the mutiny.

Police are hunting for another renegade officer, Captain Nicanor Faeldon, who they say escaped from the hotel.

During the hotel takeover, one of the leaders, Brigadier General Danilo Lim, called on President Gloria Arroyo to stand down, accusing her presidency of being "unconstitutional and illegal".

President Arroyo has survived a number of coup attempts and impeachment campaigns during her seven years in power.

The Peninsula Hotel has now formally re-opened, after repairs said to cost more than $100,000. It estimates it lost $1.2m through the alleged coup attempt.