Vice President Jejomar Binay delivers his speech during the launching of the United Nationalist Alliance as a political party on Wednesday at the Makati Coliseum. Binay lambasted the Aquino administration anew and promised alternatives offered by his party. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda on Saturday lashed out anew at Vice President Jejomar Binay, calling him a liar for his supposedly contradictory statements about the Aquino administration.
Lacierda, speaking on state-run dzRB radio, also accused Binay of conduct unbecoming of an official who was treated well by President Benigno Aquino III.
“(Mr. Vice President), are you lying then or are you lying now? which is which?” he said, referring to Binay’s criticisms against the Aquino administration – after five years of serving in the Aquino Cabinet.
“(It is) very unbecoming of a public official to speak ill of the President who has treated him very well in the highest possible manner,” he added.
He also questioned Binay’s absence in Cabinet meetings and other government work in the last five years.
“Where were you in the last five years? … Where were you in Cabinet meetings? Where were you in all five years in government?” he said.
Lacierda also contested claims by the Binay camp that the Vice President was never treated as an ally. He said Binay was given the respect due his position.
He said Binay, “for all intents and purposes, (had) been treated as the second highest official in the land.”
For Binay to speak ill of Aquino now “does not speak well of him as a person and as an official,” he added.
Lacierda said Aquino did not treat Binay differently from any other Cabinet member and had given him several Cabinet posts, including presidential adviser on OFW concerns and housing czar.
Meanwhile, Lacierda said he had no information of a reported claim by Binay’s camp that the Palace had called the police and military to ask if Binay sought support from them.
He told Binay instead to see if he had the support of the public over the allegations of corruption against him.
“Tingnan muna niya kung may suporta siya sa taumbayan sa allegations of corrupition,” he said, adding his affidavit is “a useless piece of paper” unless he appears before the Senate and answer questions.
He also questioned Binay’s claims that the Palace may be behind the Ombudsman’s unfavorable rulings against him and his son Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr.
“If he has a problem with the Ombudsman, (he should) talk to the Ombudsman. We did not do the resolution,” he said.
“Pwede ba Mr. Vice President, please lang, you’re barking up the wrong tree,” he added. (MNS)