My friend JJ broke me out of my TV reverie with the news that there was a sequel to the cast of characters at the Oakwood mutiny.

Reading the account from the blog of Ellen Tordesillas:

After a five-minute recess, the court resumed hearing Lim’s testimony. The prosecution was interrogating the general when LTSG James Layug suddenly stood up and approached the witness stand.

The Navy officer grabbed, lifted and carried Lim out of the courtroom. Trillanes, the other Magdalo officers, their guards and civilian supporters followed them out of Judge Oscar Pimentel’s sala. (Four guards are assigned to each detained Magdalo officer.) The journalists followed as well.

I chanced upon one of Lim’s guards and asked him, “Ano na lang ito?”

He replied, “Ewan.”

From J. P. Rizal Street, Lim and Trillanes and their group walked toward Makati Avenue. The roads were clear of traffic.

Trillanes was urging the public through the media to join their protest action. Pedestrians and commuters cheered him on. Cars honked their horns to show their support for the senator who remains in detention despite his election last May.

When Lim and Trillanes reached the Manila Peninsula Hotel at Makati and Ayala avenues, they tried to enter through the side entrance but were blocked by the hotel guard. A shot was heard, shattering the glass door. No one was hurt.

The marchers finally entered and proceeded to the Conservatory on the hotel’s second floor where Lim read a three-page statement.

I logged on to the soldier website and read their statement.

I’m obviously not pro-Gloria but things I don’t like off the bat:

The statement generalizes. All is corrupt. Everyone is corrupt: government, media, courts. Except for us (who, it is important to point out here, also broke the rule of law).

Which brings me to the next point. Not too good to generalize and put everyone in one box, especially if you’re asking people to support your rebellion but you’re dissing them. So how will they feel sympathy for you if you do that?

And such drama!

This may be our last chance to correct our past mistakes. We cannot afford to fail. We must not fail.

We appeal to everyone to give this effort a chance to succeed. We appeal to all our people to unite and extend all the support and counsel which the new government will need from them. We pray to Almighty God to bless our efforts and keep us pure and strong in this hour of need.

And such irony, this part:

As soldiers, we do not seek political power for ourselves. But we shall not allow anyone to use political power to commit crimes against our people or to pursue their own personal agenda, at the expense of the national interest. We shall maintain law and order, prevent any group from taking advantage of the situation, and protect the innocent from all possible harm. We shall leave the actual business of governing the nation in the hands of professionally competent, morally upright, patriotic, trustworthy and self-sacrificing Filipinos whom we now invite to form a new government.

Well, Trillanes sought power (but not for himself, right but for the masses. Talaga lang ha).

Let me just be clear. I’m not pro-Gloria. Heck, I hate her guts. But I find myself not being able to condone with what Lim, Trillanes, et al are currently staging. I find it ironic that you counteract disregard for the law with disregard for the law. I know people are going to point out, well, what do you propose? The answer is, I don’t know. But definitely, not this.

And what’s the fascination with staging their gatherings at fancy places?

Inquirer.net is doing a brilliant job of constant updates. Will read more.