MANILA, Philippines -- The man who blew the lid on an alleged fresh coup plot said it was sparked by one thing -- the desire of his Japanese client to get rid of his two Filipino partners.

In an affidavit submitted to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), lawyer Raymond Fortun said the group of former lawmaker Homobono Adaza allegedly proposed a coup d'etat as a "Plan C" to carry out the wishes of businessman Motonori Sakuma.

Fortune became known as the lawyer in the impeachment trial of former president Joseph Estrada.

Sakuma, a consultant with Island Country Resorts Inc., wanted Manuel Copon and Emmanuel Galdo out as president and vice president, respectively, of Golden Barrel Social Club Inc. for allegedly holding up the construction of Buenavista Island beach resort in Marinduque province, Fortun said.

Funding for the Marinduque resort was provided by Japanese investors, whom Sakuma identified only as Kobon and Hashimoto, said Fortun.

On May 15, 2008, Fortun said Joanne Laurilla, general manager of Buenavista Island resort, informed him that the firm had tapped OMT Security Services Inc. to "give proposals on how the Japanese investors could recover management control of Golden Barrel.”

Five days later, Fortun said he and Laurilla met with "some OMT people," including retired colonel Cesar dela Peña, Army Lieutenant Colonel Oscarlito Mapalo, and Colonel Edgardo Tapia, who suggested a "Plan A" and a "Plan B."

Fortun said "Plan A" involved filing charges against Copon and Galido before the Department of Labor and Employment, while "Plan B" involved "the action of OMT to pick up Copon and Galdo for a questioning" and charge them before the National Bureau of Investigation with violation of the Anti-Dummy Law.

On May 21, 2008, Fortun said Laurilla told him she met with OMT people on May 17. At this meeting, the group allegedly suggested a "Plan C," under which the Japanese investors would "raise" $4 million, or P160 million, "to finance a coup d'etat to be organized by OMT's friends in the military."

On May 27, 2008, Fortun said he met again with Laurilla, two other officials of Golden Barrel, Mapalo, Tapia, Dela Peña, Adaza, and another "alleged officer," whose name he could not recall.

It was during that meeting that Adaza "pushed Ms Laurilla's group to strongly recommend to Mr. Sakuma to finance their plans to stage a coup d'etat" because Plans A and B were unlikely to succeed.

"Attorney Adaza whispered to me that they are asking for $10,000,000, instead of $4,000,000 as relayed by Laurilla," Fortun said, adding he advised the resort manager to "desist from entertaining" Plan C.

Fortun said Sakuma opted for "Plan B" and Mapalo and Dela Peña asked for P6 million to "deploy several personnel to identify, follow, and subsequently pick up" Copon and Galido and to "arrange everything with the NBI."

Sakuma asked if he could reduce the amount to P1 million and the group agreed, but between June 6 and 29, Fortun said Mapalo sent him text messages informing him that they were having a hard time locating Copon.

On July 1, Fortun said Mapalo arranged a meting with him, Adaza, and Tapia at a coffee shop in Makati City. It was there that Adaza allegedly disclosed that OMT was concentrating on the "big project" or a coup d'etat.

"He [Adaza] said that the overthrow of the Arroyo government was ‘imminent’ and that there were actually two groups that were poised to stage a coup d'etat," Fortun said.

Fortun said Adaza said told him OMT was "compelled to demand" $4 million from Sakuma to bankroll the coup, so that they could stage it ahead of a group of "high powered personalities" who would let politics "rule."

"Colonel Mapalo also apologized, saying that Plan B/Project X was just a gimmick intended to merely frame up Mr. Sakuma," Fortun said.

The group claimed to have evidence to prove that Sakuma was planning to kill Copon and Galdo, Fortun said, adding that "I was of the strong belief that they would do what they were intending to do."

Adaza even quoted Saint Thomas Aquinas, saying that in pursuit of a just cause, "everything is moral," Fortun said.

Later that night, Fortun said he told Sakuma that it would be best to report the matter to authorities since OMT could either kill Copon and Galdo and blame them, or kill the two of them.

At 10 p.m. that same night, Fortun said he contacted an "administration senator" and a "deputy speaker of the house," who referred him to Senior Superintendent Asher Dolina of the CIDG.