A brief moment with a ‘changed man’

Anews item that appeared at The STAR last Monday reported “Ex-VP Binay a changed man.” The story quoted a bishop about the latest words on former vice president Jejomar Binay who was among the four candidates who run but lost in the presidential race in last year’s May 9 elections. A fellow former Mayor from Davao City, Rodrigo Duterte won the presidential race. Binay placed third in the polls.

Bishop Noel Pantoja, national director of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, was quoted having lauded ex-VP Binay for being a “changed man” and actively been participating in church activities. According to Pantoja, one of their pastors informed him about the regular attendance of Binay in their church’s Bible study sessions.

Pantoja is also the head of the Philippine Bible Society. The Binay family has been reportedly attending regular Tuesday Bible meetings at Don Bosco Center in Makati. They also went on a pilgrimage in Israel last May this year after getting court’s travel permission. In a recent television interview, Binay said he is now closer to God.

Speaking over Veritas radio station last Sunday, the Bishop was pointedly asked if Binay has indeed become a “changed man” after becoming a bible reader, the Bishop retorted: “Only God can attest to true personal and spiritual transformation after reading the Bible.” Pantoja believes such changes on man like Binay will be evident through a person’s “deeds and actions” and will be noticed by people around him.

The news item caught my attention because we just saw ex-VP Binay last Thursday night. He was among those who took time to pay his last respects to my mother who passed away last Monday (July 10). We were not able to talk much because he immediately left the wake after attending the daily novena mass.

Ex-VP Binay arrived a few minutes the novena mass started. If looks are the best gauge to determine on changes of a man, it is obvious that ex-VP Binay looks better than a year ago. He projected an aura of a well-rested man now enjoying his forced retirement from politics and out of the public eye.

But more than my family who appreciated Binay’s coming over my late mother’s wake, it was the officiating priest who looked so happy seeing the former Vice President as among those present in the small congregation. Fr. Albert, the in-house priest of the Holy Trinity Memorial Chapels at Sucat, Parañaque City, immediately acknowledged the presence of the former VP before starting his homily.

I think it was a mutual admiration club between the two of them. While seated beside me at the pew, Binay admired how the priest recited from memory the special mass for the dead hardly looking at the prayer book. And before ending the novena mass, Fr. Albert requested the congregation “to pray over for the former Vice President” who he invited to stand in front of the altar.

Visibly feeling uneasy over the undue attention given him by the priest, Binay reluctantly acceded to the invitation. We all raised our right hands directed towards him for the pray over. After the mass, Fr. Albert could not help but request Binay for a selfie photo opportunity with him.

Our youngest nephew who studies at the Dominicanrun University of Sto.Tomas University High School wisecracked: “Uy, may moment si VP.” It turns out, Fr. Albert who hails from Bohol fondly remembers Binay for helping Boholanos rebuild their badly damaged old churches. This was after the deadly earthquake that rocked Bohol several years ago when the former VP flew to their province to help provide relief goods and other assistance.

Despite our brief moments with Binay, his demeanor of contentment on life at present as a retired politician is palpable.

It was only more than a year ago when he was bitterly fighting off plunder allegations. Initiated by his political enemies a few months before the May, 2016 presidential elections, ex-VP Binay, along with his son then Mayor Junjun Binay and Makati Congresswoman Abigail were dragged in a long-drawn graft and corruption allegations.

Ex-VP Binay, however, was able to repulse efforts by Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Antonio Trillanes IV and Aquilino Pimentel III to grill him before a Senate public hearing. They would like the ex-VP to explain his side on the alleged overpriced construction of Makati Parking Building, among other reported anomalies during his watch of the Makati City Hall. Himself a former human rights lawyer during the Marcos martial law regime, Binay invoked his constitutional rights and other legal maneuvers to evade attending the Senate hearing.

The special sub-committee of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee wrapped up its investigation in aid of legislation against the Binays. Subsequently, plunder and other graft cases were filed at the Ombudsman against the former VP and accused members of his family on alleged graft and corruption charges. Multiple graft and malversation cases are now pending before the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court.

As Bishop Pantoja concluded in his radio program: “Former VP Binay will be given his day in the courts of the land to answer all charges against him. If he is guilty of any charges or not guilty of anything, then justice or vindication will be afforded to him.”

Binay first served as Makati mayor from 1988 to 1998 and 2001 to 2010. Thus, he is popularly known for attending wakes which he started as a Mayor until he run and won as Vice President in May, 2010. Apparently, he continues to do so even now he is no longer in the public service. I realized this when he came to my late mother’s wake.

Actually, through his aide, Binay first called me up last Tuesday morning after he learned about my mother’s demise from The STAR obituary pages. His wreath came later that day. The ex-VP told me he had to go to another engagement. I did not ask but perhaps, it might be another wake.

My 79-year old mother was just an ordinary person. She voted though for Binay in 2010 and in 2016. It was only during her wake that ex-VP learned about this fact from my nephew who assisted her in the polling booth. She died of complications from diabetes.

Again, my family wishes to thank not just ex-VP Binay, but all who helped us, sent wreaths, special mass books, and especially those who joined us during the hours of our bereavement.

Despite our brief moments with Binay, his demeanor of contentment on life at present as a retired politician is palpable.