Trillanes/Lim Makati Standoff – My Personal Experience

I could sense something was amiss this morning on the way to work with hubby. Just as we got off the Mandaluyong-Makati bridge at the intersection of J. P. Rizal Ave. and Makati Ave., there were policemen preventing cars from proceeding to the stretch of Makati Ave. towards the Makati commercial district. So without knowing why, we detoured along J. P. Rizal, took some side streets, cut through Bel-Air Village and came out on Jupiter St.

We traveled through Jupiter St., again toward Makati Ave. to proceed towards Ayala. Again, at the corner of Makati Ave. and Paseo de Roxas, just across Mandarin Hotel, policemen stopped us from proceeding towards Ayala Ave. My hubby had to turn on Paseo, drop me as close to Ayala Ave., making me walk the rest of the way to my office building — in the rain.

Upon reaching my office, that was when I heard the news — about Trillanes walking out during his court hearing, that Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim had joined him, that they had walked along Makati Ave. towards Manila Peninsula Hotel (no wonder they closed it off!) and that the group and their supporters were holed up in a room of the hotel.

For the rest of the day, people in the office monitored the developments via the TV in our conference room or on the internet. I spoke with my balikbayan roommate Yoyo (with whom I had a lunch date) to cancel as she lived in the Bel-Air area and I was concerned for her safety.

As our office was very high up, one side of it faced Manila Peninsula and we had a ringside seat to what was going on. We could see the roads intersecting Ayala/Makati Ave. blocked off to traffic. Along Ayala, a motley group bearing red flags were stopped by a phalanx of policemen but they insisted on staying their ground.

Just before 3 PM, the deadline given by the police for Trillanes etal to surrender, police dressed all in black (the SWAT team, I guess) gathered at the Ayala/Makati Ave. intersection in formation. From way up, we also heard what some said were warning shots fired (by whom, we do not know).

Around 4:30 PM, our Human Resources head announced that those who could safely go home could do so but that those who could not would be provided with food (which I thought was a really thoughtful gesture). I called my hubby who was in his office along Paseo de Roxas. He told me that I had to try to find my way to him via the back side of his building as all entrances of buildings in front had been closed up.

I went down my building to find that our entrances too were locked up and I had to find a rear side exit to get out into the street.

It was still raining then and people were walking along the streets as the overhead walkway along Dela Rosa St. was closed and so were the pedestrian underpasses! Did they think these Magdalo soldiers would use the underpasses as bunkers?

Near the Ninoy Aquino statue at the corner of Ayala Ave. and Paseo, I stopped to take some shots (blurry at best as I had an umbrella, my purse, and a portfolio bag slung on my shoulder). Ayala was empty of the usual traffic. Some curious bystanders were gathered at the foot of the statue looking towards Manila Peninsula. Office workers were in a hurry to get home, hailing any buses that got through to Ayala.

It was a relief to finally meet up with hubby. We took the back route towards J. P. Rizal, and as hubby drove, I did calls to our kids in school to check how they were, called my BIL who was still in an emergency meeting at the call center he worked for, as well as my nephew who also worked in Makati. They were all safe. Phew!

Enroute home, we found out that Trillanes et al agreed to come out of the hotel. They were promptly arrested and put on vans bound for the NCRPO in Bicutan, Taguig together with supporters former VP Teofisto Guingona, Bishop Emeritus Julio Labayen and running priest Fr. Robert Reyes.

Strangely, the media were also herded into vans. I knew Ces Drilon and Pinky Webb were there. Were they and their teams under arrest too? Weren’t they just covering what was obviously breaking news? And just now, the TV flashes pictures of the gaping hole where an APC rammed right into the entrance of Manila Pen. Was that show of force really warranted?

I am at home now, safe and sound, with all the kids with us. We continue to watch the discussions on TV. Curfew from midnight to 5 AM has been announced. There are many questions still to be answered as to how this whole thing was handled. It is also a wake-up call about where our country is really at, at this time in our history.

I am now remembering a comment that hubby made as we drove home: “…the hazards of working in Makati!” Yes, to think that I just returned to work a few months ago and now this!

Think I will go to yoga classes tomorrow……and send out positive energy towards everyone.