Spearheading the attack on Marcos was Enrile's chief of security, Colonel Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan, an officer whose relationship with the Defense Minister has been described as "closer than father and son." Enrile was the central political figure behind the coup conspiracy, but Honasan, his PMA classmates Col. Eduardo Kapunan and Col. Victor Batac, were the masterminds of the attack plans. At 2:00 AM of the 23rd of February, Sunday, Col. Honasan and his commandos, guided by carefully prepared maps and rebels in the Palace guard, would break into the presidential bedrooms of Malacañang Palace to arrest Marcos and his First Lady, Imelda. Simultaneously, Col. Kapunan's force would set off a series of massive explosions near the Malacañang armories, signalling three rebel battalions to move in with reinforcements. The first and largest explosion was intended to assassinate General Fabian Ver who would be sleeping inside his home in nearby Malacañang Park.
Si Enrile ang punong pulitiko ng sabwatan pero si Lieutenant Colonel Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan, hepe ng kanyang security force, at sina Lieutenant Colonels Eduardo Kapunan at Vic Batac, mga dating kaklase ni Honasan sa Philippine Military Academy (PMA), ang mga utak ng kudeta. (Ang tsismis ay higit pa sa mag-ama ang turingan nina Enrile at Honasan.) Tinatapos ng grupo ang pagsulat ng talumpati ni Enrile sa radyo at telebisyon kinabukasan, tanghaling tapat, kapag nalusob na ang Malakanyang at nadakip o napatay na si Marcos. Ipoproklama niya ang sarili bilang pinuno ng "National Reconciliation Council," isang ruling junta.