t was a bit disappointing to listen to former Vice President Teofisto Guingona's feeble attempt to explain away his involvement with last month's attempted coup d'état by Trillanes and company. Filipinos here in the United States and Canada well remember the numerous accomplishments of this once noble statesman. His daring exposés in the Senate ultimately led to President Joseph Estrada's downfall.

Of late however, the former Vice President has cozied-up to leftists, government "destabilizers," Communist sympathizers and even the Estrada camp that he helped remove from power. Late last November, Guingona along with a Senator Trillanes, Gen. Lim and a handful of armed Magdalo soldiers and clergy walked to the Peninsula Hotel in broad daylight under the glare of media cameras, skycams and pedestrians all along the way.

Guingona was seated alongside Gen. Lim when the latter read his manifesto to step down, and stayed with the group to the bitter end when the group surrendered to authorities after being teargassed.

Like his co-accused, he is being charged with rebellion and he should face the consequences of his actions like the man we all once considered him to be. This feeble argument that he was simply an unwitting participant in what, for all intents and purposes, was an attempted coup d'état , is laughable we it not so distressing.

In fact Guingona's "unwitting participant" argument actually does more damage to the former VP as it portrays him as dim-witted and possibly senile. It could be a good defense strategy though! His lawyer could argue that he is no longer in full control of his mental faculties.