Chiz, Binay meet over lunch in Davao

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero yesterday downplayed speculations after he and Vice President Jejomar Binay met in Davao City over the weekend.

In a press conference in Quezon City, the independent vice presidential candidate confirmed both he and Binay were invited to lunch hosted by businessman Antonio Floirendo, Jr. without their respective running mates.

Escudero said his running mate, Sen. Grace Poe-Llamanzares was privy to the meeting. The senator said he and Binay did not talk about politics. Binay’s running mate, Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II was also nowhere in sight.

“The food was pleasant. The owner of the restaurant invited us and we saw each other there. But reports that there was a private room — that’s not true. Nothing like that happened.

There were other people invited to the luncheon meeting. And some of them have already eaten,” Escudero told reporters, recalling the incident.

He said such accidental meetings are normal and he expects it to happen again in the course of the campaign.

“In the course of the campaign and pre-campaign, it is inevitable for candidates to ran into each other especially if they are invited in a common venue. I don’t think that’s enough to make an issue out of it,” he said.

No quarrel He also denied the meeting was awkward.

Escudero supported Binay’s vice presidential bid in 2010. In media interviews, Escudero said he does not regret supporting Binay then.

However,in the light of allegations of corruption against the former Makati city Mayor, Escudero also backed the Senate blue ribbon sub-committee’s probe into the alleged overpriced Makati city hall building and other anomalies during Binay’s term.

“In the first place it wasn’t a public place and we have no quarrel. We are just running separately but we have not quarreled about anything,” he said.

Escudero said he doesn’t believe there is any reason for him to evade the vice president, and no reason to believe he is betraying Poe.

“I believe there are just some groups who wish to divide me and Sen. Grace. But in reality, among all tandems, it’s me and Sen. Grace who have a long standing friendship. We have known each other for so long and if there are issues hurled against us, it won’t work. Those issues may affect other tandems but not ours,” he said.