Manila, Nov. 29 (Reuters): Philippine military and police teams stormed a luxury hotel in Manila today to end a short-lived coup attempt by a small group of soldiers and others who had called on the army to mutiny.

Government forces fired teargas into the lobby of the Manila Peninsula Hotel and used an armoured personnel carrier (APC) to batter down its glass doors before storming in under cover of repeated bursts of fire in the air.

There were no casualties.

The rebel soldiers, a senator and a handful of priests who had occupied the plush icon in the sprawling city of 12 million people surrendered and were arrested.

“We are going out for the sake of the safety of everybody,” their leader Senator Antonio Trillanes said. “For your sake, because we will not live with our conscience if some of you get hurt or get killed in the crossfire. We cannot afford that.”

It was the latest in a series of coup attempts to plague the southeast Asian nation since dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ousted two decades ago.

Today’s drama attracted hundreds of curious onlookers, but no one voiced any support for those inside the hotel.

Most of the guests had been evacuated before the assault, but over 100 people, including hotel staff and journalists, were caught in the midst of the action.

Trillanes, who led a failed mutiny in 2003 against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, was hauled away in plastic wrist restraints.

Fellow mutineers, including around soldiers, a priest and a retired bishop, were also arrested along with scores of journalists.

Authorities said the journalists would be freed after identity checks.