President Gloria Arroyo has ordered the 200-odd soldiers occupying the Ayala Center complex in a bid to force the government to step down to surrender by 5:00 pm (0900 GMT) or face military assault.

The rebels have accused the government of breeding corruption and sponsoring terrorism.

"While we need to listen to the legitimate grievances of the soldiers who have dared to stand up for what they believe in, the greater and immediate challenge is to defuse this explosive state and resolve the crisis peacefully without bloodshed," Guingona said in a statement.

"The call of the hour is to be calm and deliberate. Any misstep can further inflame what already is a very tense and explosive situation," said Guingona, who quit his cabinet post as foreign secretary last year due to policy differences with Arroyo.

The spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic nation meanwhile labelled the rebel soldiers "enemies of the peace".

Cardinal Jaime Sin said the band of soldiers, would rigged explosives around the center, were "enemies of our peace (who) are sowing lies and using terroristic means to take power."

These soldiers are "immoral," he said in a statement. "God will not bless those who sow violence and spread lies."

Sin, the Manila archbishop, urged his flock to follow to pray, stand vigil and "protect our democracy".

Former Philippines president Corazon Aquino, who faced seven coup attempts in the late 1980s, echoed the call for prayer.

She said she viewed the current crisis "with extreme sadness" and called on the faithful to attend a religious gathering at a central Manila shrine to "pray for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as she leads us through this present crisis".

"Let us remember that this democracy is not only our right, but also our responsibility," she said.

WAR.WIRE