MANILA, Philippines -- Intelligence operatives reportedly swooped down on the resort island of Boracay over the weekend and arrested a fourth suspect in connection with an alleged international terrorist plot to bomb foreign embassies and assassinate prominent personalities.

Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of one Filipino who had been linked to three suspected foreign terrorists -- two Jordanians and an Indonesian -- rounded up between February 15 and 29 in Manila and Davao.

“They were supposed to bomb some embassies and they were out to take direct actions against top VIPs...probably including the President,” Esperon told reporters in Malacañang.

They are believed to be part of a terrorist cell in Manila with links to al-Qaeda, the extremist group led by Saudi national Osama bid Laden that claimed the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001.

The Filipino suspect, said Esperon, had recently returned from abroad and was believed to be involved in raising funds for the terrorist operation.