TENSION in MAKATI. You have GOT to be kidding me...

“Vagrancy, flagrancy...tanks inside the lobby..?”

- These are my country’s solutions to a national crisis. Aya-yay.

 

 

I just can’t help but laugh as I turned on my telly and watched the anchors frazzle and dazzle over “TENSION SA MAKATI”—the big red bold letters in a bloodied overdramatic font almost making me vomit.

 

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?!?!?

 

http://www.sundalo.bravehost.com/

 

Just to make things clear: I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST WHAT THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR. As a matter of fact, I agree with many of the points they have raised. Indeed I do think that Arroyo has been in power(?) long enough and that the last election has been staged. Corruption in the system is as old and customary as the Filipino tradition of the ‘mano’.

 

But the way they have overdramatized the situation and clearly exploited the media’s innate frenzy just made me want to turn my head in disgust. I didn’t even want to dignify the situation by writing a blog about it, but I just couldn’t hold it in any longer when a curfew was imposed all across Luzon.
 

WHAT. THE. HELL.

 

Come on!!! Trillanes is in custody. I look outside my window and it’s practically as calm as a clam. THERE IS CLEARLY NO NEED FOR A CURFEW.

 

The said “chaos” and “mayhem” is really concentrated within the 10-meter radius of the Peninsula Hotel’s lobby. I went outside to get myself an ice cream this afternoon and I was even unaware of the situation taking place just two blocks from my building. There is no chaos. There is no mayhem. If anything, I was quite relieved because it was nice seeing Makati's streets free from bumper-to-bumper traffic for once!

 

So once again I raise a toast to our media’s talents in overdramatizing situations that need no overdramatizations really. My parents are worried enough about me being in this city.

 

But I have to admit, there was a moment when I had to pause from eating my burrito as what the anchor said sent chills down my spine and made the tiny little hairs on my back (word of expression, not an actual fact!) stand up. The news reporter asked a representative, “Mr. Soandso, could this be the dawn of another...(pause for dramatic effect)...MARTIAL LAW?” The only thing missing was the dun-dun-duN-DUN sound effect at the end of her sentence.

 

Flashbacks of scenes from Marcos’ previous regime played maliciously on my mind. Complete and utter military and police power over the people; Abuse over the masses exaggerated to the next level; Bell-bottomed pants, appalling perms and tight-fitting shirts both on men and women—it was almost too much to bear.

 

It is very rare that I talk about politics and all three of the only readers of this blog know that it is even more rare that I blog about it, but enough is enough! My silence has been too deafening for too long. IT IS TIME THAT I SPEAK UP!!!

 

GLORIA ARROYO IS A 4-FEET PUPPET OF THE REAL CULPRITS WHO ARE PULLING HER STRINGS!*  I agree with Senator Trillanes, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, the Magdalo soldiers and their guards. I am proud of what they are fighting for. I have been complaining about the illegitimacy of our government since Erap was elected for president (seriously. I thought we were being punk’d—but alas, Ashton never showed :-( ). However, the way they have handled the situation is certainly shameful and is making such a mockery of these fine gentlemen in such high statures in the community.

 

There are other ways of expressing contempt for the government! Ways more dignifying and LESS cinematic than this!!!

 

Pleeeease, A FULL ARMY BATTLE TANK PARADING INSIDE THE HOTEL LOBBY WITH AN ENTRANCE AS MELODRAMATIC AS MR. KOOLAID?! Whatthefuck were they thinking??? What is the logical purpose of that ‘strategic’ move when the calm and diligently carried about press conference is happening on the second floor of the function rooms??? And I think the question everyone wants to ask is: WHO THE HELL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT BRIGHT IDEA??? (Maybe he watched Evan Almighty, got so moved by Steve Carrell’s cinematic prose and thought that maybe he could pull the same stunt on the government, only instead of an ark, he uses the next best thing!) It’s a scene more befitting a Sylvester Stallone movie than in real life. But then again, maybe these people have been watching one too many Stallone movies in their lifetime.

 

Is this our every solution to our up rise against political power? To once again crowd the streets of EDSA or to conflagrate and congest (the already congested) streets of Makati?

 

Pleeeease people. THERE HAS GOT TO BE ANOTHER WAY!

 

Bottom line: The politics in this country has become so depressing they literally have upstaged our cheesy soap operas (which are depressing enough already!) So now, instead of reaching for that box of tissues and watching ‘Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin’ or ‘Pangako Sayo’, they are now reaching for the bowl of popcorn and tuning in to the 5 o’clock news.

 

Great. Juuuust great.

 

 

 

 

 

And a word of advice for Brigadier General Lim the next time he is at a press conference on the verge of his career suicide in a room full of TV, radio and print reporters and he is sweating profusely like turkey in the oven: USE A TISSUE!

 

 

 

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*In the event of an actual Martial Law taking place, I am willing to denounce whatever incriminating statement made in this blog. Peace Mrs. Arroyo! I love you! You’re the best. Please don’t kill me.