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CNN Sunday Morning

Update on Mutiny in Manila

Aired July 27, 2003 - 08:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: To the Philippines this morning, where there is a mutiny in Manila. Rogue army officers have barricaded themselves in a hotel and threatened to touch off explosives. The president set deadlines for an end to the uprising, but the deadlines have been extended now indefinitely. And the attitudes, if not the positions appear to be softening on both sides.
CNN correspondent Maria Ressa is on the scene.

Hello, Maria.

MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, this is the 19-hour. We're entering the 19-hour since these rogue officers took over the commercial complex of the capital in the Philippines. They claim that they will not surrender despite the deadline that given by the government. Now, talks are ongoing. The deadline has been pushed back indefinitely. Downstairs in this hotel, the government negotiator, General Roy Samatu is meeting with rogue officers. There are roughly 150 to 200 of them inside this hotel now. Now this has become their base.

They are saying that they will not surrender, but they want their statements, their charges made and for the Filipino people and for the international audience to decide. They made grave allegations against the Arroyo administration, including an accusation that her government is conspiring to create social unrest by -- through a series of bombings and civil unrest in the capital as a prelude to declaring martial law and maintaining power beyond the 2000 -- the end of her term in office in 2004.

The spokesman for the rogue officers told me that he was willing to undertake these actions to uphold his ideals. This is what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm risking everything, my life, so it's clear among the members of the group. But that risk is worth it.

RESSA (on camera): What do you want?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What we want, first, if we define moral victory, the act itself now, we have achieved that. We have achieved moral victory. They tried to suppress it. The past few days, they really tried to keep us from talking, and revealing this information to the public. But we went out, just the same. If you're aware, last night it was triple red alert. Everybody -- the whole metro Manila was swarming with checkpoints, but the resolve of the group remained intact. That's why we're still here. That is a moral victory and the fact that we have expressed to the whole world, the anomalies and irregularities of this government. We have achieved that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RESSA: It seems very clear from this government's actions of the past few hours that it is only willing to use force as a last measure. Part of that is what you're seeing, really, is the Philippine military turning itself inside out. You're seeing a split within the military. These rogue officers are hitting some themes that the government -- the troops loyal to the government believe in. For example, theme of corruption within not just the armed forces but within the entire political system. That theme of endemic corruption has been an ongoing criticism against this government.

There have been many in the armed forces that support these men's position. What they differ about is the actual act of taking what would be considered a treasonous act, mutiny, rebellion. But they do have supporters within the government ranks who want to see this resolved peacefully.

Back to you.

COLLINS: All right. Maria Ressa live this morning. Thanks so much, Maria, for updating that whole situation there.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired July 27, 2003 - 08:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: To the Philippines this morning, where there is a mutiny in Manila. Rogue army officers have barricaded themselves in a hotel and threatened to touch off explosives. The president set deadlines for an end to the uprising, but the deadlines have been extended now indefinitely. And the attitudes, if not the positions appear to be softening on both sides.
CNN correspondent Maria Ressa is on the scene.

Hello, Maria.

MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, this is the 19-hour. We're entering the 19-hour since these rogue officers took over the commercial complex of the capital in the Philippines. They claim that they will not surrender despite the deadline that given by the government. Now, talks are ongoing. The deadline has been pushed back indefinitely. Downstairs in this hotel, the government negotiator, General Roy Samatu is meeting with rogue officers. There are roughly 150 to 200 of them inside this hotel now. Now this has become their base.

They are saying that they will not surrender, but they want their statements, their charges made and for the Filipino people and for the international audience to decide. They made grave allegations against the Arroyo administration, including an accusation that her government is conspiring to create social unrest by -- through a series of bombings and civil unrest in the capital as a prelude to declaring martial law and maintaining power beyond the 2000 -- the end of her term in office in 2004.

The spokesman for the rogue officers told me that he was willing to undertake these actions to uphold his ideals. This is what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm risking everything, my life, so it's clear among the members of the group. But that risk is worth it.

RESSA (on camera): What do you want?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What we want, first, if we define moral victory, the act itself now, we have achieved that. We have achieved moral victory. They tried to suppress it. The past few days, they really tried to keep us from talking, and revealing this information to the public. But we went out, just the same. If you're aware, last night it was triple red alert. Everybody -- the whole metro Manila was swarming with checkpoints, but the resolve of the group remained intact. That's why we're still here. That is a moral victory and the fact that we have expressed to the whole world, the anomalies and irregularities of this government. We have achieved that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RESSA: It seems very clear from this government's actions of the past few hours that it is only willing to use force as a last measure. Part of that is what you're seeing, really, is the Philippine military turning itself inside out. You're seeing a split within the military. These rogue officers are hitting some themes that the government -- the troops loyal to the government believe in. For example, theme of corruption within not just the armed forces but within the entire political system. That theme of endemic corruption has been an ongoing criticism against this government.

There have been many in the armed forces that support these men's position. What they differ about is the actual act of taking what would be considered a treasonous act, mutiny, rebellion. But they do have supporters within the government ranks who want to see this resolved peacefully.

Back to you.

COLLINS: All right. Maria Ressa live this morning. Thanks so much, Maria, for updating that whole situation there.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com