Vice President Jejomar Binay (left) is given a tour of the Toledo copper mine in Toledo City, Cebu on Thursday, November 6. Binay did not attend the day’s Senate probe on the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall Building II. He is in Cebu to attend the Philippine Scouting Centennial Jamboree and meet with local officials to check their housing programs. Also in photo is Adrian Ramos (right), COO of Carmen Mining Corp. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – If Elenita Binay were to decide, she would rather that her husband, Vice President Jejomar Binay, quit the presidential race.
Makati Rep. Abigail Binay said her mother is already being affected by the corruption allegations being hurled at the vice-president, who has long decided to run for president in 2016.
“If you ask my mom she’ll probably say, “Yes. I want your dad to quit,”” Rep. Binay said.
“I know she keeps on telling my dad, “Why are we doing this?”
The vice-president has been the subject of various allegations, including the alleged overpricing of several Makati government buildings. He has dismissed the allegations as mere demolition jobs because of his ambition to become the next president in 2016.
Elenita herself is facing malversation and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly anomalous transactions made during her stint as Makati mayor.
The latest challenge for the Binays is the release of an Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report showing huge transactions that supposedly do not reflect the vice-president’s declared wealth.
But for the Makati representative, there is no more turning back for her father.
“If you do that, you are in effect telling them, ‘You’ve won.’ We don’t want to give them that prize. Parang sinabi mo na na, ‘O sige dahil binugbog niyo na kami ng sobra-sobra, mag-quit na kami,”” she said.
“We have to be vindicated. We have to prove to people that they are lying. We have to prove to these people na walang katotohanan lahat ng binibintang nila.”
The vice-president himself has rejected the idea of dropping his presidential bid at this stage. (MNS)