Shortly after government forces tear-gassed their way into one of Manila's finest hotels on 29 November 2007 to flush out thirty-odd ‘rebels’ and their civilian supporters, Philippine-focussed e-groups began debating the significance of what became known as the ‘Makati stand-off’. Among the most popular messages was a joke patterned after American late-night host David Letterman's ‘Top Ten List’. Purporting to be an ‘Intel Info’ released by the government's National Intelligence Security Agency, it lists the ‘Top Ten Reasons Why [Navy Lieutenant Second Grade and Senator Antonio] Trillanes and Company Packed Up’ and surrendered:

1. Not even his mother joined them.

2. Oakwood [the plush apartment complex Trillanes and comrades took over in an aborted 2004 coup] had a better lobby.

3. CNN was not there to cover it.

4. The hotel had run out of ice cubes.

5. The APCs [armed personnel carriers] were parked in the lobby, not in the parking lot.

6. Trillanes realized that being tear-gassed was not part of his mandate as senator.

7. [Former Vice-President Teofisto] Guingona [a civilian participant] thought it was an anti-Erap [former President Joseph Estrada], or pro-Erap pardon rally, whatever…

8. Surrender was better than the company of Father Robert Reyes [another civilian participant].

9. Trillanes noticed that people were crying, not because of the tear gas but because of him.

10. Even GMA [Gloria Macapagal Arroyo] was beginning to look better the longer they stayed.

This joke and its variants were notable for the way they turned Filipino political humour against the opposition, which is already struggling to prove its viability. In making fun of the small numbers and triviality of the Makati stand- off, the joke highlights the opposition's inability to gain traction despite major exposés against Arroyo and her close associates. Further, where it was once treated deferentially, the opposition here is put on the same level as the ruling elite led by President Gloria Arroyo.