Connect with us

Breaking

P-Noy to Binay: ‘You’re free to leave’; Binay to P-Noy: ‘I’m a team player’

Published

on

VP Jejomar Binay (left) and President Benigno Aquino III (Photo by Dondi Tawatao)

VP Jejomar Binay (left) and President Benigno Aquino III (Photo by Dondi Tawatao)

President Benigno Aquino minced no words in his message to beleaguered Vice president Jejomar Binay.

Speaking to reporters on Monday after the inaugural of the $95-million plant expansion project of Coca-Cola Femsa Philippines in the City of Calamba, President Aquino stated clearly that Binay is “free to leave.”

“If he thinks we are going in the wrong direction, he’s free to leave,” Aquino said, flat out.

Binay – who since August 20 has been under investigation on allegations of corruption – has not resigned from the Cabinet, although he has been very vocal about his criticism of the administration, and of Aquino’s allies.

Aquino admonished Binay, who belongs to the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) political party, that as the country’s second-in-command, and a member of the Cabinet, it was his “obligation” to give the President input as to “how to improve the system.”

“Just to be clear, if he had solutions, I don’t think I heard them during Cabinet meetings, he should have shared them. Of course, the question is why didn’t he,” Aquino stated.

Aquino clarified, however, that as far as trust is concerned, the vice president is entitled to a “presumption of innocence until proven guilty.” He likewise pointed out that the charges against Binay were based on circumstances that “happened before” he was voted into the vice presidency.

The President also spoke highly of Binay’s “achievements of the housing sector [on] his watch;” referring to the latter’s capacity as chief of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

Aquino also pointed out that the administration should be accorded “credit” for investigating high-ranking government officials such as Binay.

For his part, Binay made a brief statement on Monday, in which he affirmed that he will continue to be “a team player.”

“I have the highest respect for President Aquino and I will continue to be a team player,” Binay said.

Binay’s official spokesman for matters of politics, Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla, said the Vice President harbored “no hard feelings” toward Aquino.

Remulla added that Binay did not criticize President Aquino, but merely pointed out “deficiencies” which he thinks need to be worked on.

The spokesman also noted that Binay was willing to give his two-cents’ to the President if called upon to do so.

“He just doesn’t want to preempt the President,” Remulla stated.

Binay, who served as Makati City mayor for three terms before being voted into the vice presidency, has been accused by former Makati City officials – primarily, Former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado – of corruption. Initial allegations include the gross overpricing of city projects and buildings, and the receipt of kickbacks from multi-million infrastructure projects.

The allegations are now under investigation by a Senate blue ribbon subcommittee headed by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III. The weightiest of the charges against Binay are the purported overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building II and the alleged cut of 13-percent Binay receives of the cost of all development projects in Makati City for the release of mayor’s permits.

A plunder complaint has also been filed with the Ombudsman’s office by the ex-city officials against Binay and his son, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay.

Since the investigations began, the charges have grown to include alleged ownership, through dummy-owners, of an 8,877-square-meter real estate property in Comembo village, Makati, and a 350-hectare agricultural farm in Rosario town, Batangas province, as part of Binay’s purported ill-gotten wealth.

Binay – who has categorically denied all allegations – refuses to face the Senate to address the charges against him.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Maria in Vancouver

Lifestyle1 week ago

Nobody Wants This…IRL (In Real Life)

Just like everyone else who’s binged on Netflix series, “Nobody Wants This” — a romcom about a newly single rabbi...

Lifestyle2 weeks ago

Family Estrangement: Why It’s Okay

Family estrangement is the absence of a previously long-standing relationship between family members via emotional or physical distancing to the...

Lifestyle2 months ago

Becoming Your Best Version

By Matter Laurel-Zalko As a woman, I’m constantly evolving. I’m constantly changing towards my better version each year. Actually, I’m...

Lifestyle2 months ago

The True Power of Manifestation

I truly believe in the power of our imagination and that what we believe in our lives is an actual...

Maria in Vancouver3 months ago

DECORATE YOUR HOME 101

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Our home interiors are an insight into our brains and our hearts. It is our own collaboration...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Guide to Planning a Wedding in 2 Months

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Are you recently engaged and find yourself in a bit of a pickle because you and your...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Staying Cool and Stylish this Summer

By Matte Laurel-Zalko I couldn’t agree more when the great late Ella Fitzgerald sang “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.”...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

Ageing Gratefully and Joyfully

My 56th trip around the sun is just around the corner! Whew. Wow. Admittedly, I used to be afraid of...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

My Love Affair With Pearls

On March 18, 2023, my article, The Power of Pearls was published. In that article, I wrote about the history...

Maria in Vancouver6 months ago

7 Creative Ways to Propose!

Sometime in April 2022, my significant other gave me a heads up: he will be proposing to me on May...