Mathoms, etc.

So former soldier and now senator Antonio Trillanes IV, (who I went to elementary school with. His two brothers were in my batch.) again challenged Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's presidency. Some of the Magdalo soldiers walked out of a courthouse yesterday where they were on trial for their 2003 Oakwood mutiny. They marched to the Manila Peninsula Hotel, holed themselves up for 6 hours and demanded that GMA resign. (Sidenote: I find it amusing that they always manage to stage their stand-offs in luxury buildings. Is this elitist? Is this why they can't generate public support? A disconnect between what the suffering masses want and what the soldiers can give them.)

The government responded by sending tanks to storm the hotel, arresting the soldiers and journalists and imposing a martial law-like curfew. It seems like overkill but I suppose this was a knee-jerk reaction. Madame President wants to hang on to power until her term officially ends.

Since the 1986 People Power revolution, the military appears to believe that they are the option to the corrupt administrations that have followed. Yes, I admire their conviction and share the outrage that Mrs. President doesn't have the integrity to resign amid allegations of corruption and questions of legitimacy. The Philippines however, is a democracy and should remain one. It is unfortunate that Philippine democracy remains a fledgling enterprise. The opposition unable to impeach her nor provide an alternative candidate, fradulent elections, an indifferent population. But then again, if you're worried about where your next meal is coming from, how could you care who's the sitting president? If she keeps pardoning coup plotters and other wrongdoers (yes I mean you Erap), this will probably not be the last coup attempt. That's my two cents.