Never a dull moment

this is my 2nd post today so don't forget to read the other post below too.

There I was walking over the bridge to Glorietta, there was lots of sirens from vehicles driving to the bridge area, so being nosey I stopped to see what was going on. The police were there with the swat squads from many areas of the phils, plus the National police, there was also army vehicles arriving and helicopters above, I gleaned from people there that there is a political parade with 2 politicians that want the President out, I had read about them over the past few days. Anyway watched for 5 mins then went on my way, I went to SM mall to buy some trousers, when finished I thought rather than walk back through the shops that I would walk in the street past the parade, I did but within a couple of hundred yards people were running towards me so I knew that something was happening, someone said that there was gunfire... ...so being nosey as I am I walked through them in the direction that they were running from, I was near Makati ave when I heard the first burst of gunfire ( I'm getting used to the sound) I then turned left rather than right as the national police and army were getting their weapons out to return the fire, as I turned left there was lots of gunshots so more people were now running in the same direction as I was walking. A big white guy was running and he slowed down as he reached me, he asked me what is happening and what should he do, he was visibly very scared ( I just get excited by it all, wrong I know) anyway I told him to follow me and not to worry, we took cover at the side of a building. To cut a long story short, his name is Peter and he is from Norway, he was terrified, he was staying at the Peninsula hotel where the shooting was happening. All his money, credit cards etc were in his room and he didn't know what to do.

Anyway I calmed him down, he wanted to go to another part of manila to his credit card office to get a new card to use, I gave him 1000 pesos for the cab fare and so he could phone his wife. He may be a scammer and I've lost 1000p but somehow I don't think so. He was so shaken and vowed never to visit the Phils again, he said that this kind act of mine to help him was the nicest thing he has experienced in his life ( maybe he should get out more !!) and he hugged me twice.... hold on there fella !!.... not to worry he did say he was married. anyway he has taken my address and phone number and has sworn to return it to me, I said it simply doesn't matter but he can ring me later if he needs any more help. He asked if all Scots are like me and if they are what a better world this would be........ shucks !!!!! I walked him to a cab area and told him what to do.... its raining and there is gunfire, cab drivers are going to take advantage of this so I told him to agree to a certain amount just to get himself out of the area.

I'm obviously at home now watching the news on TV but it is in Tagalog so am trying to get the gist of it all, from what I can gather the 2 politicians that I mentioned previously were starting their rally from inside the Peninsular hotel when tear gas exploded in the room and there was gunfire, presumably supporters of the President trying to assassinate these 2 politicians. The gunfire continued outside the building which was probably what I heard. I would guess that it was probably a section of the army or national police that were the assassins.

I'm watching live TV now and its showing an army armoured vehicle driving right into the hotel with about 50 soldiers and lots of gunfire.

I got to go back to that area to pick up some trousers that were being altered so i may get more info and some photos.

Report back later. It's 5pm here ( 9am UK)

It's now 9.30pm and I now know what happened. The 2 politicians were in the hotel and it was 30 of their supporters.... all renegade soldiers...... that were there trying to get backing from the army to overthrow the president.... it didn't work out and they barricaded themselves in a room, the army went in to get them and that was the gunfire that was heard.
I went back to the area at 5pm to get some video of it all but I think it was over by then so I only got shots of the soldiers there, 1500 of them !!!!

The whole of Makati was evacuated, all the malls were empty as was all shops, bars and restaurants. And I still haven't heard from Peter the Norwegian !!!... surely he wasn't a scammer... if he was, he got me hook, line and sinker !!!!