Chiz on endorsing Binay in 2010: Lesson learned

Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero yesterday said he doesn’t regret raising the hands and endorsing the vice presidential candidacy of then Makati City mayor Jejomar C. Binay in the 2010 elections.

Escudero defended his previous decision that is now one of the things his critics are hurling against him.

“I don’t regret anything I’ve done simply because I did not know those things at that time. I could not have seen that before, very much like what other supporters of candidates in the 2010 elections did which was until after the fact,” Escudero said in an interview over ANC Channel.

“It’s not my habit to regret the things I’ve done. I learn from it,” the senator added.

Escudero pointed out his decision to support Binay was identical to the way President Aquino and Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II supported then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

“Nung nalaman din naman nila yung ginawa ni GMA noon, bumitiw at kumalas din sila ng suporta sa kanya. Wala naman masama dun at tama lang naman yung ginawa nila nung nalaman na nila (When they later learned what GMA did, they withdrew their support to her. There’s nothing wrong with that and they did the right thing),” he said.

Aside from allegedly overpriced building projects in Makati City, the Senate sub-panel also investigated the alleged anomalous ownership of the Binay family’s a vast property in Rosario, Batangas.

The Court of Appeals has already issued a freeze order on 242 assets of Binay and his associates based on the recommendation of the AMLC.

“At the very least because there is sufficient basis, otherwise, the AMLC or CA would not have issued such an order,” he said.