Thursday, November 29, 2007. I was at home attending to my daughter whom I brought to the clinic for a check up earlier in the day. When I opened the television, GMA7 was airing the Manila Peninsula Hotel commotion.
I forgot about watching Jet Li's movie as I tried to catch up what was going on in the hotel. It took me more or less ten minutes before I heard that Senator Trillanes, Gen. Danilo Lim and the Magdalo Group were staging a coup. When it get to the part of Senator Trillanes being asked why he did it, his answer was cut short by Arnold Clavio, in effect, the essence of his answer failed to reach the televiewers.
Then the next segment showed Senator Antonio Trillanes marching along with Gen. Lim and former Vice President Teofisto Guingona.
The occurence provided a jolt to the monotonous news. The call to rise against the administration may have many symphatizers, but it was ill-timed. It is Christmas time and the people are in the mood to merry no matter how difficult life is nowadays. Second, the 2010 Presidential Election is already on the horizon. No one dares to rock the boat when all preparations had already been put to place. If you notice, no active politician and presidentiable/s dared show his/her face in national television for any comment DURING the siege. But afterwards, there were many takers and big-mouths itching to say their piece on the matter. Third, it was less coordinated or uncoordinated at all. Maybe because, the primary reason was Senator Trillanes' fight to be allowed to attend senate sessions more than toppling President Gloria M. Arroyo. The chewing gum didn't help either. While it was more of a calming device for Senator Trillanes, it looked distracting in the interviews and in his projection in the television. He looked like nagpapa-pogi lang.
People may differ in their view and opinions on the failed siege, but Senator Trillanes achieved his purpose - getting national attention to his predicament. If you are in his shoes, how would you feel being elected as Senator of the Republic of the Philippines while in prison and afterwards, not given the chance to serve and deliver what people expected of you?
After all, eleven million Filipinos voted for him.
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