VP Binay slams LP hypocrisy, intrigues; closes door on GMA alliance

By OVP Media
April 11, 2012

MANILA  –  Vice President Jejomar C. Binay today slammed the “hypocrisy” of some officials of the Liberal Party (LP) for their "desperate attempt" to link him to former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

"Look who's talking. Those who are saying those things now were rabid supporters of GMA before. Hindi ba dati lagi kayong 'Yes mam, Yes GMA'? Ngayon akala mo kung sinong mga nagmamalinis," the Vice President said.

“Nagdanas ako ng malaking hirap. Yung hirap na pinagdaanan ko kay GMA – patong-patong ang aking kaso tapos ako pa ngayon ang pinagbibintangan,” he said in a separate interview with ANC.

Binay clarified that they have no plans of forming an alliance with Mrs. Arroyo or her party.

“UNA is about ending politics as usual, that after the election, talunan ng bakod sa administration party,” he said.

“Elections are about choices. No party can claim monopoly of good intentions and good people willing to serve. This is the essence of democracy,” he added.

Binay said some of those sowing intrigues were once rabid supporters of Mrs. Arroyo.

“E kung sino man sila, nakita ko kayo ‘Wow GMA! Mahal na mahal ka namin, GMA. GMA, ikaw ang tunay na nanalo.’ Kayo po yun ah. Hindi po kami yan. Ngayon ang lakas ng loob niyong pagbibintangan niyo kami diyan,” he said.

Binay headed the United Opposition (UNO) during the Aquino administration while the LP was part of the administration coalition that voted against the first impeachment complaint against Mrs. Arroyo over the "Hello Garci" wiretapping scandal, which disclosed massive cheating during the 2004 presidential elections.

"Where were they when FPJ was being cheated? Where were they when we in the opposition were being harassed by the Arroyo administration?" he said.

The Vice President was persecuted during the Arroyo administration, with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Office of the Ombudsman attempting to suspend him in October 2006 and May 2007. Binay had defied both orders.

He also chided the said LP officials for sowing intrigue between him and President Benigno Aquino IIII. “Nakalimutan na yata nila na I am part of the Cabinet at 100 per cent ang suporta ko kay Pangulong Noynoy,” he added.

The Vice President is the Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and the concurrent Presidential Adviser on OFW Concerns. He also chairs the government’s anti-illegal recruitment and anti-human trafficking task forces.

Binay said he owes a debt of gratitude to President Cory Aquino for naming him mayor of Makati after the 1986 EDSA Revolution. “Ako naman ay uulit-ulitin ko sa ating mga kababayan - kinikilala ko pong malaking utang na loob na kung ano si Jojo Binay ay nagsimula po naman ito kay Pangulong Cory Aquino at sa kanyang family. So ako po ay isang taong marunong tumanaw ng utang ng loob,” he told ANC.

He also recalled having dinner with the President in Malacanang Tuesday night and attending a meeting until 11 pm, and he never felt any unease between him and the President.

Binay said the sudden “inquisition” from the LP was apparently prompted by the creation of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), which will field a senatorial ticket in the 2013 elections.

“I understand pinasasagot ako. Ano ba ito- inquisition? That I have to answer? E ano naman ang answer ko e obvious naman yun. I will repeat what I said. Mahirap magpaliwanag sa mga nagbibingi-bingihan. Mahirap namang magpakita sa mga nagbubulag-bulagan,” he said on ANC.

He said that those who were forcing the issue were “insecure” of the names being included in the UNA line up.

“Kaya ho kung merong United Nationalist Alliance na amin pong coalition, ito po ay nagpiprisinta ng mga tao na may kakayahan, gustong maglingkod sa bayan. Di po pa nakatutuwa na maraming pagpipilian. Kesa naman ho sa totalitarian countries na iisa lang ang kandidato,” he said.

Moreover, the Vice President reiterated that the text blast messages that were sent out on Good Friday and Black Saturday being were not from him or his camp.