Senator Francis Escudero, Chairperson Committee on Finance, along with Senator Nancy Binay, presides the deliberation of the 2015 proposed budget of the Commission on Election (COMELEC) on Tuesday (August 26,2014) at the Senate Building in Pasay City. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Nancy Binay on Wednesday denied having any prior knowledge on the residency issue hurled against Senator Grace Poe by Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, the interim president of United Nationalist Alliance and an ally of her embattled father Vice President Jejomar Binay.
In an interview with reporters, Binay said she was surprised when she saw Tiangco on television saying Poe lacks the required residency to run for president or vice president in next year’s elections.
“Actually, nagulat na nga lang din ako na naglabas siya ng ganun. I guess like everybody else I was surprised na nag-presscon pala siya kahapon,” she said.
“I have nothing to do with it, in fact napanood ko na lang siya nung nakauwi ako. Parang ‘Oh my God’ ganun pala yung sinabi ni Cong. Toby,” she added with a chuckle.
She further said that she has yet to talk with Tiangco regarding Poe’s residency issue.
Poe, who, like the elder Binay, is performing well on surveys on possible presidential candidates, is one of the senators who signed the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee report recommending plunder charges against Vice President Binay in connection with the alleged overpricing in the Makati City Hall Building II construction.
Sen. Binay, who said those who signed the report did it to boost their ratings for the 2016 elections, meanwhile refused to further comment on Poe’s residency issue, saying she is a member of the Senate Electoral Tribunal which will decide on cases of senators.
“That (residency issue) I cannot answer, kasi part ako ng SET. Mahirap na magsalita nang tapos. I don’t know, baka one of these days may mag-file ng kaso sa kanya, kabahagi ako dun sa magdedesisyon pagdating sa issue na yan,” she said.
Meanwhile, in a television interview, Tiangco said his revelation did not have the blessings of Vice President Binay.
“In fact, when I told him two months ago, nung nalaman ko itong bagay na ito, sabi niya sa akin tigilan mo na yan. Kaibigan natin si Grace. Pabayaan mo na iyan kung may isyung ganyan. Pero ako syempre bilang head ng search committee, hindi ko naman titigilan dahil trabaho ko ito,” he said.
Vice President Binay had earlier said that he is considering Poe to be his running mate in the 2016 polls, but the neophyte senator said she does not see herself campaigning alongside Binay.
Poe, Binay’s closest rival for the presidency based on the latest surveys, said she believes that honesty and quality of service were also important in governance. She had also asked Binay to appear before the Senate probe on the corruption allegations hurled against him.(MNS)