and the noisy minority has always spread the news that the president is playing with her presidential powers, testing its limitations and stuff. if you haven't noticed, they're the ones doing that exactly. didn't that noisy woman with highlights on her hair don an anti-gloria shirt and walk with her supporters wearing the same shirt in manila to test the police whether the latter would arrest them or not for disturbing the peace?

i was part of the movement to oust the estrada and have gloria replace him. i was there when it happend, a part of the crowd, for without the crowd, there won't be any Filipino that the civil society leaders can call as supporters of the effort. and i am now not in favor of the opposition and the civil society's silly moves to oust the president. therefore, you can't remark that all those who put gloria into power are the very same people who want her down. they're just noisy and a few number compared to the silent majority of Filipinos who are sick of such politics, we all just want our investors to invest, the tourists to come, our inventors to invent, our artists to have jobs, etc, etc...

hello Laila,

can you teach me how to win in the Plushie Tycoon Guide? please?

thanks!

Anti-Gloria?

Adam, as far as I know, majority of the Filipinos were against cheating... and, we still want to know the truth behind the "Hello Garci" controversy.

A good leader should protect her people and not to cause division by using military forces and the law against civilians who just want to know the whole truth.

History will judge Arroyo.

This is a necessary move. Knowing that some senior and junior members of our military are plotting a coup against our President, it *IS* a national crisis. Remember, these mutineers had engaged in terroristic activities by rigging a hotel with bombs just so their demands could be heard. These people are terrorists -- not military.

Among their demands was, of course, for our President to step down. Here's another newsflash, authories have obtained copies of their doc*ments, containing plans to establish a revolutionary government once they remove our President from office. Revolutionary, hmm, that sounds like rebellion! (duh) Now, think about what happen to our economy when that comes? It will plummet to the ground in just a few days.

We also know that we have all these rallies creating chaos and disrupting the peace and flow of business. We have various political opponents like Gringo Hunasan, who's among involved in the coup plot, inciting the public to join rallies and create more damage. And now we have the mutineers who recently escaped from prison. They are now a treat to our national security given their terroristic tendencies. I mean, gee, I've got to tell you this is an emergency. How much can we take before we declare a state of emergency?

All these rallies and political drama that her opponents created not only hurt our economy but also put our country's security at risk. It puts us at risk. Any day we could lose our jobs as a result of this turmoil.

I urge the Filipinos in those rallies to stand down.

And to Ms. Laila, I don't think our President wants to suppress the local media. Otherwise, there will be a total news blackout. From my observation, I think the government is looking for people behind the coup plot because really when you have your military people on top of the chain of command mutinied against you it is a very serious threat to our country and to our people. Since we are in a "State of National Emergency," she has, of course, the full power to interrogate and arrest any suspects and stop the rallies.

I think some of the anti-Gloria people out there are thinking that once the President is removed from office by force, it will all be fine and dandy. Our economy would be great and no more poverty. They should think again and think really hard because once it happen, we're back to zero.

Many people here believed that Arroyo administration has turned its back on Edsa People Power who seated her to the presidency in 2001!

It was grave overreaction as they said but, in my opinion, she finds an opportunity to proclaim National Emergency at the height of 1986 EDSA People's Power Historic Celebration, which later cancelled all programs and scheduled activities related to the 20th anniversary of Edsa "People Power I" revolt.

Maybe she can suppress local media and restrain the public's right to know the real situations in the country but, with the kind of technology nowadays, nothing can be hidden to the international media.

The media here is always in front of every action, if government takes over it, I don't think the Filipino people will further tolerate her. We need a president that protects her people.

Whatever life awaits us, I hope God will intervene...

Hey Laila,

Saw this on the news today and was quite upset at some of the pictures I saw. Police beating people who were laying on the ground and not fighting back, and I saw them hit an old lady and knock her to the ground.

I blogged about it on my blog today and have a little insight on what I think may have been a fake coup to keep the celebration of the overthrow of Marcos small.

Anyway I hope you are staying inside and safe while all of this is going on. I will keep the Filipino people in my prayers.