At 3:05 p.m. today, Zamboanga City Mayor Climaco read a statement during a press conference. This was followed by a briefing presided over by Secretary Mar Roxas, during which he outlined the activities of the President from yesterday evening up to today.
Yesterday evening, the President met with the City Mayor, the Vice-Mayor, the entire City Sanggunian, the Representatives of Zamboanga City, as well as local and community leaders. The meeting lasted until 9:30 p.m.
Today, after visiting the evacuees at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Sports Complex in the morning, the President was briefed by security officials on the ongoing operations. At around 1 p.m., the President had lunch with Secretary Roxas, Secretary Gazmin, AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Bautista, PNP Chief Director General Purisima, and other senior military officers. The Vice President also joined them and he was later briefed about the situation in Zamboanga City.
Below is the transcript of the press briefing of Secretary Roxas:
Secretary Roxas: From the inspections of the President–we had lunch at the President’s quarters and the Vice President joined us around the table where the President to his left, myself, to my left Chief of PNP; to the President’s right was Secretary Gazmin, to Sec. Gazmin’s right was Chief of Staff Manny Bautista, and to Chief of Staff Bautista’s right was the Vice President. The FOIC was also there, a Flag Officer in Charge of the Navy, as well as the West Southern Philippines Commander Gador–he was also in. It was just a lunch where various sort of topics including what’s going on in Manila; we were watching also the news updates. It was a quick lunch. After that, there was a briefing that was made for the Vice President. I wasn’t in that briefing anymore; neither was the President. And, I came over here already. So that’s all that I know.
Question: Follow up lang, sir, napag-usapan po ba, kasi I understand the Vice President came here to discuss the possible ceasefire with the MNLF, sir?
Secretary Roxas: That was not discussed at all in the time that I was present, which was when the President and I arrived together with Sec. Volts Gazmin from the inspection tour and de-briefing the President received from the security forces. This was at about 1 o’clock when we arrived at the President’s quarters, and that’s when we had lunch, and that’s when the Vice President joined us. And so from that time until I left which was about 2 o’clock because this was at 2:30, there was no discussion.
Question: Sir, just to be clear: Was there an agreement for a ceasefire or was there not an agreement?
Secretary Roxas: I can only tell you what I was a participant to, and at least it was not discussed at that time. I think that the Armed Forces Spokesperson already made it quite clear that the operations are ongoing and he can elaborate on that.
AFP Spokesperson Col. Zagala: Thank you, sir. Regarding the ceasefire, we have not received any order and that we continue our operations until otherwise told so.
Question: Sir, there are criticisms and talks that an obvious central divide–a divide obviously–disagreements within the central government are causing confusions on the ground. There were talks of a ceasefire; people thought there was a ceasefire, [but on] the ground there was no ceasefire, and in fact there was no retreat at all of government positions, of military positions. What can you say about criticisms like the central government can’t seem to find a way to unite and at least find a more streamlined way to address this problem, and it seems that, according to criticism as well, politicking is getting in the way of this crisis? Sir, what is your take on this one?
Secretary Roxas: Well, I’m not aware of any such criticisms. It was quite clear what the orders were. The President himself is here. The President issued orders last night at the briefing, met with the local community, the entire Sanggunian, both congresspersons, the mayor, the vice mayor, about 20 civil society leaders of Zamboanga, community leaders–he met with them until about 9:30 p.m. last night. It was quite clear what his direction was–what his positions were, what his views were. After that, we had another session with the Security Sector. So, it’s quite clear. I’m not aware where this “division” that you’re referring to is coming from. Maybe you can ask them. But it’s quite clear what the–you’re the one who asked the question, I’m not aware of any such [division]. It’s quite clear what the President’s orders are. We’re just following that.
On the situation being “contained”:
Secretary Roxas: I don’t want to point to it specifically; it might jeopardize soldiers and policemen’s lives. On day one, the broad area presence of those who came in were quite spread out. I think that by today not only is this incursion been contained and is now been constricted, but is in fact now being cleared.
So there is an increasing level of contact as between government forces and the culprits who have come in to destroy the peace and order here in Zamboanga City. I think that an indication of the intensity of the contact between government and the culprits can be found in the statistics of killed and or wounded and or of captured MNLF or Misuari forces. That was earlier said. Could you just give a recap of that? Not PNP and AFP, but yung sa kabila.
There are 21 bodies physically on hand that are wearing the uniform and with rifles that are now on hand. In addition, there’s another 26, resulting in a total of 47. There’s another 26, where 2 parties or more have confirmed a death in the combatant. But because of an ongoing firefight, they could not retrieve the body and the counterforce would recover the body and brought it with them.
In fact there are eyewitness reports that some of the fires that were set–this was used as a burial fire, to bury or give honor, I guess, to their fallen. So you now have a 47, either eyeballed or physical–and how many captured?
I think that these statistics indicate that, this is not just “let’s just put a corral around it and wait what happens.” There is an operation and there is a security operation ongoing. I cannot point out to you specifically what street corner or what area, because it will jeopardize these operations. But I think from five barangays, I think, that you yourselves as reporters and as journalists, you will note that perhaps as beginning yesterday and into today, the barangays that are being mentioned are now limited to Sta. Barbara, Sta. Catalina, and partially Talon-Talon.
These indicate the extent of the operations. It’s not just contained, contain was to cordon and so as not to make it spread. From contained, it evolved into constrict, which is to reduce the operating space of the MNLF. And now it is into clear, particularly clearing of road to give up to services like the firemen. Hindi sila makapasok para patayin ang sunog dahil nga ini-snipe sila; pinapaputukan sila. Some of these clearing operations have to do with opening up of roads and securing the safety of firemen and other emergency first responders so that they can do their job.
20