VP Binay backed out of Manila Pen siege –Trillanes

For Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, there is nothing new with Vice President Jejomar Binay reneging on his word.

Interviewed on Tuesday after Binay announced that he is backing out of his debate with Trillanes, the senator said he first learned that the Vice President is a man who cannot keep to his word in 2007.

Trillanes, a former Marine officer, said that in November of that year, then-Makati mayor Binay backed out from participating in the protest march against the administration of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, an incident now known as the Manila Peninsula siege.

“Itong nangyaring pag-atras niya at pagbitaw niya sa kaniyang salita ay hindi bago sa akin. Kasi kung maaalala niyo yung Manila Pen incident nung 2007, kasama po si Vice President Binay sa pagpa-plano nito,” Trillanes said.

'Rewriting history'

The Binay  camp, however, was quick to counter Trillanes' pronouncement. In a press statement, Office of the Vice President Media Affairs head Joey Salgado said Trillanes was attempting “to rewrite history” with his own version of Manila Pen siege to save his face as a mutineer.

“History teaches us that revolutionary undertakings succeed with the support of the people, not because of one man with a messianic complex. The senator should stop blaming the Vice President for his failure as a mutineer,” Salgado said.  

During the interview, Trillanes recounted that during the planning for the protest, Binay promised that he will use his influence as Makati mayor in mobilizing various organizations to join.

“Ginawa namin yun pagpa-plano na yan dun po sa opisina nung judge na humahawak nung aming kaso sa Makati RTC. At doon po nagbitaw siya (Binay) ng salita na kasama siya, na gagamitin niya yung kaniyang posisyon para i-mobilize yun mga emplayado ng Makati City Hall, ang Urban Poor ng Makati, ang mga estudyante ng UMak (University of Makati) dun sa araw na napag-usapan,” said Trillanes, who was then facing rebellion charges over an earlier attempt to overthrow the Arroyo administration.

Trillanes recalled that he and his co-accused soldiers even stored their firearms inside the Makati City Hall on the eve before the day of the protest.

“So up to that point, talagang maliwanag na kasama siya (Binay). Tapos paglabas namin nung araw ng pag-aklas ay wala po si Vice President Binay,” he said.

“Pinahamak niya po yung buong grupo at kung hindi dahil sa media nung araw na yun, marami sanang namatay,” Trillanes added.

Camp Crame visit

Trillanes said Binay even went to Camp Crame where he and the others soldiers were brought after the failed protest.

“Nung ginapos na kami at sa Camp Crame, nandun siya. Nagdala siya ng mga abugado, humihingi siya ng paumanhin at nagkamali raw siya ng info. Hindi ko maintindihan… kasi alam niya na yun araw at oras at lugar pero wala siya. So, nagpapaliwanag siya at in fact nung time na yun [ay] kinastigo ko na siya noon pa lang,” Trillanes said.

Trillanes admitted that after that incident, his relationship with Binay turned sour.

Late last month, Binay challenged Trillanes to a debate to discuss various allegations being hurled by the senator against him.

But earlier on Tuesday, Binay announced that he will no longer attend the debate, set for November 27, saying he is turned off by Trillanes’ claim of being the underdog.

Salgado, in his press statement, said Trillanes' boast about the Manila Pen siege “shows that the Vice President was correct in deciding there would be nothing to gain from a debate with someone who does not respect reason, facts or the rule of law and tends to exaggerate his role in history.” —KBK, GMA News