Q and A: Binay in Zambo: What happened?

MANILA, Philippines – On Friday evening, September 13, Vice President Jejomar Binay announced that Moro National Liberal Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin agreed to a ceasefire in Zamboanga City.

The Vice President made the announcement via interviews with various media outlets. He also said he would fly to Zamboanga on Saturday, September 14, to discuss the mechanics of a peaceful settlement that he said the MNLF and the government agreed to.

Binay said he had ties with Misuari because they were classmates at the University of the Philippines.

On Saturday morning, Gazmin said there was no ceasefire in Zamboanga. He said there can only be a ceasefire if the MNLF forces stop firing. Fighting continued, with the number of fatalities rising to 53, according to the military’s public affairs chief, Lt Col Ramon Zagala.

Gazmin has been in Zamboanga with Interior Secretary Mar Roxas since day one of the crisis on Monday, September 9, upon orders from President Benigno Aquino III. Aquino also arrived in Zamboanga on Friday to oversee the situation and to distribute goods to evacuees and soldiers.

On Saturday afternoon, Binay arrived at the Western Mindanao Command headquarters in Zamboanga and talked to President Benigno Aquino III. He left past 4 pm. 

On Saturday evening, Binay’s office released a statement saying the two sides failed to reach an agreement on the terms of the peaceful settlement.

“The Vice President is sad that his efforts to secure the release of the hostages in Zamboanga City did not prosper. Both the MNLF and the Philippine government wanted peace, but there were terms set that were not acceptable. The Vice President asks everyone to pray for the safety of the hostages and for peace in Zamboanga City,” said Binay’s spokesperson Joey Salgado in the statement.

Binay arrived back in Manila Saturday evening.

Observers have raised questions about the conflicting statements, Binay’s involvement in the crisis, and whether or not Binay coordinated his efforts with Aquino and other officials responding to the crisis. 

A Philippine Daily Inquirer report quoted anonymous Cabinet officials as saying that Aquino did not authorize Binay to negotiate the ceasefire with Misuari. On Twitter, netizens criticized the Vice President, saying his actions were meant to score political mileage for the 2016 presidential polls and aggravated the crisis. Binay has declared his presidental ambitions. 

We asked Binay to respond to these questions in a phone interview Sunday morning, September 15. Here is his version of the events.

What exactly happened in your trip to Zamboanga?

I had a talk with the President Wednesday evening (September 11). I was saying that I have access to Chairman Misuari and then discussed with him a peaceful settlement of the crisis in Zamboanga. The next day I had a talk with General, Secretary Gazmin on Thursday (September 12).

Sinabi ko sa kanya (Gazmin) ang offer ko para kausapin si Chairman Nur. Ang advice niya huwag na lang ako makipag-usap dahil sa meron nang ongoing talk between the Mayor of Zamboanga [Beng Climaco] and Chairman Nur. So wala akong ginawa noon.

So Friday (September 13), nakita ko na nagkakagulo at nakita ko sa TV na gusto kausapin ng MNLF ay third-party. Ito ‘yung sinasabing debate nung si Atty Fontanilla at Secretary Roxas sa State of the Nation. (Editor’s note: Lawyer Emmanuel Fontanilla is a spokesman of the MNLF. State of the Nation is a news program that airs on GMA News TV anchored by Jessica Soho.)

So Friday evening, mga 10:30 pm, nakausap ko si Chairman Nur, “Pwede ka bang mag-usap para sa peaceful settlement?” Sabi niya okay. Tumawag ako kay Secretary Gazmin ng gabi ng Friday, both of them agreed. Ceasefire muna bago mag-usap ng peaceful settlement para makitang pwede mag-usap ang parties. Pumayag silang dalawa. Si Secretary Gazmin lalo na.

‘Di ko malaman ang sinasabi ng mga nang-iintriga na nung gabi there was no agreement. There was. In fact, they agreed in order for the people in the field to know there was an agreement, Chairman Nur agreed na i-announce ko na. ‘Di naman ako gago na sasabihin ko sa media tapos walang kasunduan.

Yesterday I asked Secretary Gazmin, “Bakit lumalabas ‘di ka nag-agree?” Sabi niya “Hindi pare, ang sabi ko o basta wag silang pumutok, ‘di kami puputok. That’s the ceasefire.” Unfortunately in early Saturday morning, nagputukan na naman.

Before I left for Zamboanga, I again had a talk with Chair Misuari, payag siya sa peaceful settlement. Nakausap ko siya Friday pero Saturday nakausap ko uli si Chair Misuari before I left.

Saturday, as I had promised to Chairman Nur, I would be going to Zamboanga, which I did, yesterday morning. Nagpunta ako doon. Sabi ko pumunta na rin ako kasi ang hirap ng communication at ‘di mo malaman kung busy ang mga tao so nagpunta ako doon.

Doon ako bumaba sa Zamboanga del Sur, sa Pagadian. So humiram ako ng helicopter ng Air Force. Nakipag-usap ako sa Presidente.

Nag-usap kami ni Presidente. Sinabi ko sa kanya ang suggestion ko. In fairness katulad ni Chair Misuari, payag silang dalawa sa peaceful settlement. Unfortunately, yung condition di sila magkasundo. That ended the efforts.

Ako naman, I made that recommendation thinking of the safety of the hostages and the civilians who may be caught [in] the crossfire. Sana maiwasan. Kung magkakaroon ng peaceful settlement, pakakawalan ang hostages, at ang bakbakan matitigil na.

Who called whom first? Did Misuari call you or did you call Misuari?

I’m the one always calling him up.

There are reports quoting Cabinet officials as saying that you were not authorized to broker the ceasefire.

Ang mga sinasabi diyan sa Twitter I was not authorized, I had a talk with the President as early as Wednesday. I don’t recall if he said yes but he knew I would be working on it. Tapos he was concerned about my safety. Kahit papaano kaibigan ko siya. Sabi niya, “Mag-ingat ka lang, etc.”

Sabi ko kaeskwela ko naman yun, seatmate ko. “I’ll take care of myself, Mr President. Sana maresolve natin. Habang nagtatagal, dadanak ang dugo.”

So ‘di totoo ang mga sinasabing ‘di ako nakipag-usap kay Presidente. Yesterday (Saturday), kahit na yung Wednesday, it went through the approval of the President. Vice President lang ako. So I made my recommendation yesterday.

Inumpisahan ko kaagad na, “Mr President, nandito ako magbibigay lang ng suggestion pero ikaw ang magdedesisyon dito.”

Did you tell the President about the ceasefire agreement on Friday?

Friday evening, gabi na so I told Secretary Gazmin. It was immediately after the debate between Fontanilla and Secretary Roxas sa State of the Nation. Masyadong mabilis eh. I also had to go back as I had to leave for Zamboanga. Tutal I was scheduled to go there and the President was in Zamboanga.

There are reports that the MNLF’s condition was a “safe conduct pass.”

I don’t want to discuss pa yung conditions. Hahaba pa ang usapan. Basta there were conditions na hindi nagkasundo ang dalawa. Nagkasundo sila for a peaceful settlement. Yung isa nagpropose, di kami nagkasundo.

‘Di sila nagkausap. Everything was made through me. Si Chair Misuari ang kausap ko.

How did you conduct the negotiation? Was there a lot of back and forth?

Yung kahapon, before I left [for Zamboanga], I had a talk with Chairman Nur. I just had to be sure that he is still amenable to a peaceful settlement tapos I arrived in Zambo, I had a talk with the President and I had lunch with him. Pagkatapos na makausap ko si Presidente, I went back to Chairman Nur.

What did President Aquino say during the negotiations?

Huwag na. Magfu-fuel lang [ng kung anu-ano]. Okay na, ‘wag nang buksan.

Secretary Gazmin said he agreed to a ceasefire on the condition that the MNLF would stop firing.

Pumayag siya basta they will not shoot. Ceasefire ‘yun, dapat walang putukan. I suppose he was just emphatic basta huwag nilang papuputukan. “Eh pinaputukan kami (government side), okay.” So nagputukan.

The local crisis committee and some Cabinet officials who spoke anonymously to media said you did not coordinate with them.

Ewan ko sa kanila kung sinabi man nila. Mukhang nagsisinungaling sila. As I’m telling you… I told the President about it [on Wednesday]. Thursday morning, I was talking to Secretary Gazmin. Friday evening, I was talking to Sec Gazmin. Ano namang walang coordination?

Critics say you intervened because of 2016.

Ah well yung mga nagagalit sa akin, sabi ko naman nag-announce ako [na tatakbo ako] pero ang sabi ko pagdating ng oras tsaka tayo magkakampanya. Inannounce ko lang kasi ayoko magpaipokrito kasi [ayoko ng] kaipokritahan.

How could that be naman (How could this be about 2016)? I feel obligated. Ako naman ay firstly, noon pa man, mga human rights [lawyers] kami. Iniisip ko lang kailangang mabigyan ng window ang protection for the hostages and civilians.

Before you left Zamboanga, what was the next step discussed to end the crisis?

For security reasons, ‘di na ako nakikialam doon. In fact, I was clear in saying na ang trabaho ko lang dito [tumulong] matapos ang crisis sa Zamboanga to return the hostages.

Here is the English translation of the Interview:

What exactly happened in your trip to Zamboanga?

I had a talk with the President Wednesday evening (September 11). I was saying that I have access to Chairman Misuari and then discussed with him a peaceful settlement of the crisis in Zamboanga. The next day I had a talk with General, Secretary Gazmin on Thursday (September 12).

I told him (Gazmin) my offer to talk Chairman Nur. He adviced me against it becaue there are ongoing talks between the Mayor of Zamboanga [Beng Climaco] and Chairman Nur. So I did nothing at that point.

So Friday (September 13), I saw the crisis worsened and I saw on TV that the MNLF wanted to talk to a third-party. This is the debate between Atty Fontanilla and Secretary Roxas on State of the Nation.

(Editor’s note: Lawyer Emmanuel Fontanilla is a spokesman of the MNLF. State of the Nation is a news program that airs on GMA News TV anchored by Jessica Soho.)

So Friday evening, about 10:30 pm, I was able to talk to Chairman Nur. I said, “Are you willing to negotiate a peaceful settlement?” He said okay. I then called Secretary Gazmin on Friday evening, both of them agreed. They agreed to a ceasefire before talking about a peaceful settlement to show that both parties can talk. The two of them agreed, especially Secretary Gazmin.

I don’t know what people sowing intrigues are saying that Friday night there was no agreement. There was. In fact, they agreed in order for the people in the field to know there was an agreement, Chairman Nur agreed that I go ahead and announce it. I’m not a fool to tell the media there was an agreement when there is none.

Yesterday (Saturday) I asked Secretary Gazmin, “Why is it appearing that you did not agree?” He said, “No, what I said was as long as the they do not fire, we will not fire. That’s the ceasefire.” Unfortunately in early Saturday morning, there was fighting again.

Before I left for Zamboanga, I again had a talk with Chair Misuari, he agrees to a peaceful settlement. I talked to him on Friday but on Saturday, I talked to Chair Misuari again before I left.

Saturday, as I had promised to Chairman Nur, I would be going to Zamboanga, which I did, yesterday morning. I went there. I said I might as well go because it is hard to communicate from Manila, you don’t know if the officials in Zamboanga are busy so I went there.

I first arrived in Zamboanga del Sur, in Pagadian. I borrowed a helicopter from the Air Force. I talked to the President.

The President and I talked. I told him my suggestion. In fairness, like Chair Misuari, he also agreed to a peaceful settlement. Unfortunately, they could not agree on the conditions. That ended the efforts.

On my part, I made that recommendation thinking of the safety of the hostages and the civilians who may be caught [in] the crossfire. I hope we could avoid that. If we have a peaceful settlement, the hostages will be released, and the fighting will stop.

Who called whom first? Did Misuari call you or did you call Misuari?

I’m the one always calling him up.

There are reports quoting Cabinet officials as saying that you were not authorized to broker the ceasefire.

Those people are saying on Twitter that I was not authorized [to negotiate] but I had a talk with the President as early as Wednesday. I don’t recall if he said yes but he knew I would be working on it. He was concerned about my safety. He is my friend somehow. He said, “Just take precaution, etc.”

I told him Misuari is my classmate, my seatmate. “I’ll take care of myself, Mr President. I hope we can resolve this. The longer this drags on, more blood will be shed.”

So it’s not true that I did not talk with the President. Yesterday (Saturday), even on Wednesday, it went through the approval of the President. I am just the Vice President. So I made my recommendation yesterday.

I started talking to him by saying, “Mr President, I am here to give suggestions but you call the shots here.”

Did you tell the President about the ceasefire agreement on Friday?

Friday evening, it was already late so I told Secretary Gazmin. It was immediately after the debate between Fontanilla and Secretary Roxas on State of the Nation. Things happened too fast. I also had to go back as I had to leave for Zamboanga. I thought anyway, I was scheduled to go there and the President was in Zamboanga.

There are reports that the MNLF’s condition was a “safe conduct pass.”

I don’t want to discuss anymore the conditions. The discussion will just get longer. Suffice it to say there were conditions and the two sides did not agree on these. They agreed on a peaceful settlement. One side proposed, we did not reach an agreement.

The President and Misuari did not get to talk. Everything was made through me. I was talking to Chair Misuari.

How did you conduct the negotiation? Was there a lot of back and forth?

Yesterday (Saturday), before I left [for Zamboanga], I had a talk with Chairman Nur. I just had to be sure that he is still amenable to a peaceful settlement and then when I arrived in Zambo, I had a talk with the President and I had lunch with him. After I talked to the President, I went back to Chairman Nur.

What did President Aquino say during the negotiations?

Let’s not discuss that anymore. It will just fuel all sorts of things. It’s enough. Let’s not open that anymore.

Secretary Gazmin said he agreed to a ceasefire on the condition that the MNLF would stop firing.

He agreed as long as they will not shoot. It’s a ceasefire, there should be no firefight. I suppose he was just emphatic that they should not fire on our troops and civilians. “But they fired on us (government side), okay,” Gazmin said. So firefight ensued.

The local crisis committee and some Cabinet officials who spoke anonymously to media said you did not coordinate with them.

I don’t know with them if they said that. It seems that they are lying. As I’m telling you, I said that on Wednesday, I told the President about it. Thursday morning, I was talking to Secretary Gazmin. Friday evening, I was talking to Sec Gazmin. What are they saying that there was no coordination?

Critics say you intervened because of 2016.

Oh well, those who are mad at me, I already said I announced my presidential ambitions but the time will come for campaigning. I just announced my plans because I don’t want to be a hypocrite. I don’t like hypocrisy.

How could this be about 2016? I feel obligated. Firstly, even before, I am a human rights [lawyer]. I am only thinking of giving a window of protection for the hostages and civilians.

Before you left Zamboanga, what was the next step discussed to end the crisis?

For security reasons, I did not meddle with that. In fact, I was clear in that my job here is just to help end the crisis in Zamboanga and return the hostages. – Rappler.com