Shortly before the 5:00 pm deadline, the President announced an extension of the deadline to 7:00 pm. It was during the two-hour reprieve that negotiations with various personalities and groups of negotiators prospered. As the deadline approached, negotiations between the rebel soldiers and the Government team led by the Government chief negotiator, Ambassador Roy A. Cimatu, effectively extended the deadline indefinitely. An agreement was forged between the two groups at 9:30 pm At 10:00 pm, President Arroyo announced that the occupation of Oakwood was over. The rebels agreed to return to barracks and were out of the Oakwood premises by 11:00 pm.