HI. SORRY TO KEEP YOU WAITING. I HAVE BEEN IN LAGUNA FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS AND THERE ARE NO INTERNET SHOPS NEAR WHERE I STAY. BUT NOW I AM BACK IN MANILA.

OK. THIS IS WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE SUPPOSED COUP. I WAS NOT IN MAKATI AND UNLESS YOU WERE THERE YOU WOULD HAVE NO IDEA THERE WAS A COUP ATTEMPT UNLESS YOU SEE IT ON TV, AS I DID. I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY SERIOUS AT ALL BUT OF COURSE IT IS BAD FOR THE PHILIPPINE'S IMAGE ABROAD. ONLY ONE SHOT WAS FIRED AND NOBODY GOT HARMED. THE MUTINEERS USED THE OAKWOOD AS THEIR BASE AND THE STORIES OF HOSTAGES WERE NOT REALLY TRUE. IT WAS JUST THAT THE PEOPLE STAYING THERE WERE TRAPPED INSIDE FOR A SHORT WHILE UNTIL THEY WERE ABLE TO LEAVE IN 2 BIG BUSES. THEY DID PLANT SOME HANDMADE BOMBS BUT IT WAS THEY WHO LATER DEFUSED THEM ALL.

ALL OF THE MUTINEERS SURRENDERED AND 16 OFFICIALS WERE SUSPENDED. THE PRESIDENT WAS VERY MAD AND HAS SAID THEY WILL RECEIVE LIFE IN PRISON FOR TREASON. RIGHT NOW, OUR TV IS PRETTY BORING WITH THE SENATE INQUIRY INTO THE MATTER AND TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO WAS BEHIND IT. VERY LITTLE ATTENTION HAS BEEN PAID TO THEIR REASONS WHICH WERE BASICALLY: 1) CORRUPTION IN THE ARMED FORCES AND 2) LOW PAY. (THERE HAD BEEN A LOT OF RESIGNATIONS BY JUNIOR OFFICERS IN RECENT MONTHS).

BY MONDAY MORNING IT WAS BUSINESS AS USUAL EVEN IN MAKATI. THERE ARE THOSE WHO SUGGEST IT WAS ALL A PUT UP JOB SO THIS PRESIDENT CAN RUN IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR AFTER SAYING MANY TIMES SHE WILL NOT. WHO KNOWS. WE WILL SEE SOON ENOUGH AND POLITICS WILL CONTINUE AS BEFORE! IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK IN TOUCH AGAIN AND I WILL WRITE YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME.