MANILA, Philippines -- Senate Minority Floor Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. has taken up the cudgels for former legislator Homobono Adaza, the lawyer implicated in fresh reports of another plot to topple the Arroyo administration.

"I can't believe that Attorney Bono Adaza is involved in coup plots. He may be a lawyer of rebels and disgruntled elements. But to my knowledge, he is no rebel himself. He must be accorded all the rights under the law," he said in a text message.

Asked if his own network confirms the new coup plot, Pimentel said he didn't have any inkling about it.

However, the opposition leader raised the alarm of lawyers being implicated in their clients' cases.

Apart from Adaza's case, Pimentel cited the case of Nasser Ynawat, lawyer of Indanan Mayor Alvarez Isnaji in the kidnap of broadcaster Ces Drilon and New York's Lynne Stewart, lawyer of convicted terrorist Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman.