No stopping Binay in 2016
‘Next leader needs executive experience’
Vice President Jejomar Binay vowed anew yesterday that he would not back out from the presidential elections in 2016 despite the continued attacks against him and his family.
Residents gave Binay a warm welcome in Iloilo as ordinary folks cheered and requested to take pictures with the Vice President.
Political observers said the warm welcome showed that Binay is still popular in Iloilo, considered the bailiwick of Liberal Party leaders Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Senate President Franklin Drilon.
“Lahat ng kasiraan, akala ko wala ng katapusan pero hindi po ako aatras. Kakandidato po ako sa
darating na 2016 (They threw everything at me, I thought it would never end but I won’t back out),” Binay told his welcomers that included senior citizens at the public market of New Lucena, Iloilo, where he distributed wheelchairs and medical equipment.
New Lucena is a sister town of Makati where Binay is former mayor.
Iloilo has only one congressman supporting Binay
– Rep. Hernan Biron of the 4th District.
Among the welcomers were Mayor Liecel Mondejar-Seville, her brother board member June Mondejar and Mayor Peter Paul Lopez of San Dionisio town.
Also included in Binay’s entourage were Parañaque City Rep. Gustavo Tambunting and Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian.
As the 2016 election draws near, Binay said he won’t be surprised if more controversies would be thrown his way.
“But people have seen that this is just part of political oppression. Do you think if I’m not running for president and I’m not on top of the survey, would they do that to me?” he quipped.
Currently, Binay’s camp said he has bounced back in the surveys at 36 percent.
Meanwhile, Binay called on the people to choose a leader who has the experience and capability, citing that he had been mayor for 16 years and a vice president since 2010.
Binay also lamented the continued “harassment” of his family including allegations of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) that he has several bank accounts.
“This is what’s wrong with the AMLC, presenting wrong information that I have 242 bank accounts, which would make me richer than Bill Gates,” he said, maintaining that he had only five bank accounts.
Binay said he acquired his assets through hard work.
“I was a practicing lawyer. I have been good in saving money. I also did teaching and my wife is a doctor of medicine,” he cited.
Binay again lashed back at AMLC and the senators for singling him out.
He challenged the AMLC to also look into the bank accounts of Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Drilon.
Abad, a close friend of President Aquino, had been tagged as the brains of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), of which certain provisions were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Drilon, on the other hand, was earlier accused of irregularities involving the Iloilo Convention Center. But the Office of Ombudsman has dismissed the case against him.
Despite the political harassment, Binay said he has no bitterness and would not unjustly persecute anyone if he succeeds in his 2016 presidential bid.
“I want to be known as the unifying president,” he vowed.
But when asked of his possible running mate, Binay said that a search committee was formed by the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
Binay refused to name any personal choice for the position.
He added the search committee is considering someone who could help him if he is elected President and has the executive ability to assist him.
Binay said they are considering a number of people to be his vice presidential candidate.
“You know, what I can say is we have a search committee. Because if we know that the person will not accept our offer we will no longer consider them,” he said.
The search committee is headed by UNA interim president and Navotas City Rep. Tobias Tiangco.
Among the personalities floated as Binay’s running mate are Senators Grace Poe, Francis Escudero and Jinggoy Estrada, boxing champ and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, former senator Panfilo Lacson, and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Pag-IBIG Fund president and chief executive officer Darlene Berberabe and businessman Manny Pangilinan were also mentioned as possible running mates of Binay.
The Vice President, meanwhile, clarified he was not referring to anyone in particular when he said that the country could not afford to elect inexperienced leaders in 2016.
Binay stressed that competence and experience would be the main issue in next year’s elections.
“I am not referring to anyone. When I said that, I was talking about my point of view… I present myself as a presidential candidate who has the experience and competence in 2016,” he said.
Some camps believe Binay was referring to Poe, a close second to Binay in the presidential surveys.
“There are people who have the experience. But what we are talking about here is experience and competence as an executive. It’s just like building a house, you need a carpenter, you need a skilled carpenter. You don’t need a plumber, because a plumber is good in fixing clogged pipes. There may be people who have the competence and experience, but not as an executive,” he said.
In an interview last week, Poe said that she does not see herself being the running mate of Binay, who is currently facing numerous corruption allegations.
Binay, however, said he respects Poe’s pronouncement.
Binay served as the campaign manager of Poe’s father, the late actor Fernando Poe Jr., when he ran for president in 2004.