CAPITOL HILL MEETING. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, accompanied by Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., Rep. Abigail Binay-Campos and Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay discuss bilateral issues with Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, Chair of the Sub-Committee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs of the United States Senate, during a meeting in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. (Philippine Embassy Photo by Ariel Penaranda)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Contrary to text rumors, Vice-President Jejomar Binay will not be holding a press conference to announce his resignation from the Aquino Cabinet.
Binay’s spokesman Joey Salgado said the text rumors are nothing but a hoax.
Binay earlier expressed support for President Aquino amid calls for the latter’s impeachment over the unconstitutional disbursement acceleration program.
Last week, the Vice-President said he will respect Aquino’s decision not to accept the resignation of Budget Secretary Butch Abad.
“The President has made a decision and I respect his decision. The decision to accept or reject the resignation is the prerogative of the President,” he said.
Binay’s ally, United Nationalist Alliance secretary-general Toby Tiangco, refused to comment on why Binay apparently did not clap when Aquino announced that he rejected Abad’s resignation after the Supreme Court declared parts of the disbursement acceleration program (DAP) as unconstitutional.
He said he has not yet talked to the Vice-President. “One thing I’m sure of is gusto niya ng transparency,” he said.
Binay has called for full disclosure and an independent audit of projects under the DAP.
He said the SC decision was clear on the matter of accountability. He said there are no hidden clues in the decision.
“But where do we start? For me, a good starting point would be to make available to the public all the projects funded by DAP. This is after all, consistent with the tenets of full transparency that is the cornerstone of the Aquino administration, and I do hope my colleagues will reconsider a reported decision to withhold the release of the so-called DAP list,” he said. (MNS)