MANILA, Philippines – Did 2016 come early?
This is what netizens, closely watching developments in the continuing standoff in Zamboanga City, had to say after Vice President Jejomar Binay announced what he termed a ceasefire agreement between Moro National Liberation Front founding Chair Nur Misuari and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.
As the military and police pursued efforts to end the almost weeklong standoff, Binay announced close to midnight on Friday that Misuari, his college classmate, and Gazmin had agreed to hold fire between their forces to pave the way for a “peaceful settlement.”
Hostilities, however, continued into their sixth day, with Gazmin and the military saying no ceasefire was implemented as the MNLF continued firing at government troops. Binay pushed through with his trip to Zamboanga, accompanied by his son Makati Mayor Junjun Binay.
What followed was collective confusion expressed in 140 characters or more:
“Anu ba talaga? Gazmin contradicts Binay statements about ceasefire! Please lang, pwede pong magusap usap kayo!” said user Christian Medina (@ChristianMeds).
“Promoting a fake ceasefire should get you fired,” said user @tweetnirizal, a parody account of national hero Jose Rizal.
Tweeting the Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet), user Ches could not help but ask (@chesaq) :
“What the… epal move Binay? Too early for 2016.” Epal is colloquial shorthand for the Filipino term “mapapel” or attention-seeking.
Binay is known to be planning to seek the presidency in 2016. His political rival, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, has been on the ground in Zamboanga City since early this week along with other Cabinet officials pursuing efforts to end the conflict.
Froilan Grate (@GreenMinds) suspected a storyline behind what was happening: “I first thought #ZamboCrisis can’t be part of a script. No decent person would sacrifice so [many] lives for political gains. Then there’s Binay.”
User Aselle Fernandez (@reynasellia) shared an exchange with a cousin about Binay’s Zamboanga visit.
“Me: pupunta raw si Binay dito?! Cousin: baka sakaling may magawa pa si Binay kasi mas bright siya kesa kay Pnoy (President Aquino) at ganun sila sa Makati,” shared Fernandez, making reference to the former Makati Mayor’s campaign slogan “Ganito Kami sa Makati.”
Zamboanga-based Chariz Malalis @CHARIZmaatic shared the sentiment and said Binay may have wanted to share the limelight with Mar Roxas, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman and President Aquino in resolving the conflict.
“Roxas, Gazmin, Soliman, Aquino.. Binay, ayaw patalo. Papunta na din ng Zamboanga. Para ano po Vice?,” she said.
Inquirer readers also chimed in, criticizing the vice president for the announcement that did pan out.
Reader signed in as Bayang Magiliw said Binay’s “hunger for publicity backfired.” Oscura, meanwhile, said Binay’s action’s undermined the authority of Aquino, the commander-in-chief.
Reader Jack BW echoed this sentiment and said: “This will keep on happening to us until we grow the balls to take it all the way. Misuari and his commanders should be held accountable. The [Vice President] shouldn’t be allowed to make his own moves without the approval of the President.”
Told about the online reaction, Binay’s camp declined to comment, saying only that people should wait for developments from the Vice President’s visit to Zamboanga.
