Manila: A senator investigating Vice President Jejomar Binay over alleged corrupt practices when the latter was mayor of Makati City, a financial district, revealed their failed alliance to launch a coup against former President Gloria Arroyo in 2007.
Senator Antonio Trillanes virtually admitted on Tuesday that he and Binay were former allies in botched coup plots against Arroyo who survived three political setbacks during her reign in 2001, 2003, and 2007.
“Vice President Binay has no word,” said Trillanes when Binay backed out on Monday from their public debate media men had scheduled on November 27.
Binay reasoned he did not want to overpower Trillanes with the latter’s assessing he would be debating with the vice president who was a seasoned debater and rights lawyer who fought former dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the 70s.
To his dismay, Trillanes took the opportunity to reveal Binay’s alleged betrayal when he did not make good his promise to provide ‘warm bodies and people power’ to right wing rebel soldiers when they decided to walk out in 2007 from a regional trial court in Makati City that was to hold a trial with regards to their participation in the failed coup plot against Arroyo in 2003.
At the time, Trillanes and his followers left the courtroom, marched undeterred from J.P. Rizal Street towards Makati Avenue, and took over Manila Peninsula, a five-star hotel on posh Ayala Avenue.
Narrating details of the incident, Trillanes said, “On the eve of the Manila Peninsula incident, we were able to bring in our guns to Makati City Hall so we could use these for our revolt. Up to that point it was clear he [Binay] was with us.”
Trillanes said he and Binay met to hatch the coup plot at the office of the judge that was to hold the trial.
On the day of the coup, Trillanes’ group called Magdalo, had access to Makati Councilor Erwin Binay, the son of former mayor Binay, who also promised peoples’ support to backup the uprising of the right wing rebels against Arroyo, according to Trillanes.
The right-wing rebels decided to stay briefly at the Ayala Triangle to wait for the people that the Binays had promised, but since supporters never arrived, “we decided to go to the Manila Peninsula,” said Trillanes.
But reports at the time said that several supporters of the right-wing rebels had stayed overnight at the Manila Peninsula. Hotel guests were brought out at the back entrance of the hotel. The right wing rebels surrendered when they were overpowered by pro-government forces.
Explaining why the coup against Arroyo failed, Trillanes said, “We were taken for a ride. Not even the shadow of then Mayor Binay was seen in Makati that day. He put the whole group in trouble.”
Trillanes hinted that Binay lacked good faith after deciding to utilise right wing rebels to launch a coup against Arroyo.
Another source in the Binay camp told Gulf News that Binay himself was dismayed because he realised his call for people power for the right wing rebels did not bear fruit.
Members of Trillanes’ group were initially imprisoned for launching a failed coup plot against Arroyo when they briefly took over Oakwood Hotel on Ayala Avenue in 2003.
At Oakwood, Trillanes accused military leaders of allegedly selling arms and ammunition to communist and Filipino-Muslim rebels.
At the Peninsula Hotel in 2007, Trillanes asked Arroyo and top government leaders to step down because of alleged corruption.
Reacting to Trillanes revelations, Joey Salgado, spokesman for Binay told Gulf News, “The senator is trying to blame others for launching the failed coup. Now he is blaming the Vice President for his [Trillanes] failure as a mutineer.”
“It is plain and simple the senator did not get people’s support when he launched a coup,” said Salgado.
While in prison, Trillanes won in the 2007 senatorial race. When President Benigno Aquino was elected in 2010, he granted Trillanes presidential clemency.
Although Aquino and Trillanes are political allies, sources said Aquino and Binay have deeper ties.
Binay supported former President Corazon Aquino when she survived more than five failed coup plots starting 1986. She appointed Binay as acting mayor of Makati City. From then on, he built a political dynasty,
He is now the aspiring presidential bet of the opposition in 2016.
A people-backed military mutiny (also led by first generation of right wing rebels) paved the way for the ouster of Marcos and the ascendancies of Aquino to the presidency in 1986. When Aquino did not give in to several wishes of the right wing rebels whose leaders were appointed in government, she became a target of failed coup plots.
Historians identify Trillanes as part of the second generation of right wing rebels after the ouster of Marcos who established a Martial Law rule in the Philippines in 1972. Historians also believe that right wing rebels in the Philippines act not for themselves but for other political leaders.
