Abby, Junjun figure in verbal tussle in Makati forum

The rivalry between mayoral candidates and siblings Abigail and Junjun Binay escalated as they exchanged heated arguments during a forum inside a church in Makati City on Saturday night.

After the speech of Abigail asking for candidates to stop spreading lies, and end mudslinging, the siblings had an exchange of words as they were sat next to each other.

Colonel Rogelio Simon, Makati police chief, went in front of the altar to pacify their seemingly heated argument. Even their father, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, approached them.

Junjun then stood up, knelt, and bowed in front of Abigail as they were inside the church. Abigail remained sitting in front of the altar.

"I find it most unfortunate that my brother said hurtful things to me and acted in such a manner inside a church and in the presence of my father and our Makatizens," Abigail said in a statement.

“May masasakit na sinabi sa akin ang kapatid ko noong kami ay magkatabi sa forum. Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggagaling ang galit niya (My brother said hurtful things to me while we were seating next to each other during the forum. I do not know where his anger is coming from),” she added.

For his side, Junjun said his sister Abigail stared at him and told him that he was a liar after giving a speech. He said that he was even trying to pacify her, but she allegedly kept on shouting and pointing her finger at him.

“Makikita po natin sa video na ito na ako ay tahimik na nakaupo sa aking upuan. Pagkatapos mag speech ni Ate Abby, pabalik sa kanyang upuan, pinandilatan nya ako at sinigawan na sinungaling. Sinubukan ko pa sya awatin pero nagpatuloy ang pagsigaw at panduduro nya sa akin (We can see in this video that I was sitting quietly. After my sister Abigail’s speech, as she returns to her seat, she stared at me and called me a liar. I tried to pacify her but she continued shouting and pointing

her finger at me ),” Junjun said in a post on his official Facebook page, which he accompanied with a video.

“Nakakalungkot at nangyari pa ito sa loob ng simbahan. Personal na po ako humingi ng paumanhin kay Fr. Beng na kura-paroko ng San Ildefonso Parish Makati at sa mga organizers ng forum sa nangyaring insidente (It saddens me that this happened inside a church. I am personally apologizing to Fr. Beng, the parish priest of San Ildefonso Parish Makati, and to the organizers of the forum),” he added.

The forum was organized by Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and San Ildefonso Parish Makati.