Those who do not learn from the mistakes of the past are bound to repeat them.

In 2003, a Captain Trillanes and a group of idealistic officers and soldiers holed themselves up in a high-rise condominium in the central business district, raising several legitimate issues against the administration. That they had done so at great risk to their lives and their military careers just to drive home a legitimate grievance was commendable and (to a lesser extent), quite heroic. For heroes are those who care not for themselves, but for all those left behind.

But unlike the putschists of 2001 who installed PGMA to power through illegal means (say whatever you want, but Erap's removal was truly unconstitutional), Trillanes and company failed to get more people in the military to withdraw support for the sitting president, which would have served as the backbone for a people-supported uprising. The GMA generals had wisely blockaded all entrances to the area, preventing an EDSA 1-style barricading by civilians of the rebels. More importantly, without getting firm assurances of reforms in the military, Trillanes ended up in jail, with nothing more than a moro-moro of a investigation into the issues they raised (e.g. AFP bullets being sold to the MILF, the military being behind the Davao bombing etc.).

Because of his idealism, Trillanes was elected senator in May this year. Yeah, we need someone in the Senate who truly feels for the welfare of his comrades and the country in general. From how he spoke, you could feel his passion for genuine change and good governance. I voted for him.

What he did yesterday was ... dumb.

Yes, the issues raised were again legitimate. Yes, there were the requisite people support from respected people (e.g. Guingona, Bishop Labayen to name a few). However, that popular support wasn't numerous enough to make the government pause about the possibility of huge collateral damage and the worldwide outrage that would follow by reason thereof. There wasn't any declaration of support, either spiritually or physically, for his and General Lim's cause by his comrades in the military. There did not appear to be any form of coordination with those who had the power to move people (Erap and Jojo Binay were in a medical mission somewhere, and didn't cut it short when they were informed of the incident). There was absolutely no declaration of support from the clergy. Lastly, they should have inputted into the equation the fact that this administration has exhibited a ruthlessness to commit violence (e.g. EDSA 3, CPR and General Palparan); the nonchalant attitude to the destruction of the Peninsula's lobby was actually quite typical.

Trillanes and Gen. Lim's call for change had basis, but the manner by which they voiced their discontent for the present administration was highly questionable. That they failed to consider (again!) how to launch and sustain a popular revolution is quite unbecoming of persons i had believed to be of sufficient intelligence in planning and organization, and possible future leaders of this country.

With defeat imminent, the romantic in me was waiting for Trillanes to do a Leonidas or a Katsumoto -- to die with honor. I was disappointed. Now, he is again in prison, nowhere near to achieving the reforms he had risked his (and other people's) life by this recent misadventure.