With Junjun dismissed, Abigail Binay runs for Makati mayor

Makati Representative Abigail “Abby” Binay (Facebook photo)

MANILA – With dismissed Makati Mayor Jejomar “Junjun” Binay Jr. barred from running for an elective post, Makati Representative (District 2) Abigail “Abby” Binay decided to run as city mayor under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) – filling her certificate of candidacy (COC) yesterday at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office.

“She has knowledge and experience to continue the Binay legacy of service which is service for the poor… It’s hard for me because many believe in me. But in times like these, we cannot just think of ourselves,” Mayor Binay said in a Manila Bulletin report, adding that he had faith his sister would win in next year’s national elections.

“It’s a party decision; of course, we have to consider that there’s undue attention being given to us. I have two suspension orders. The last one is an order to dismiss me from office. We can see that apparently, election by elimination is the system this administration is doing to their political enemies,” he said in a Rappler report.

Rep. Binay will be running alongside Makati Representative (District 1) Monique Lagdameo who will join the vice-mayoral derby in the coming general elections.

Filing her COC, she was accompanied by her parents Vice President Jejomar Binay and former Makati Mayor Dra. Elenita Binay, and her siblings Mayor Binay, Senator Nancy Binay and Anne.

Rep. Binay’s husband, businessman Luis Campos, will be running for the position she will be leaving behind, while Makati Councilor Concepcion Yabut will be seeking the first district’s post.

She will then be contending against acting Makati Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) and Jimmy Jumawan of the Partido Bagong Maharlika (PBM).

Lagdameo, on the other hand, will be competing against Karla Mercado and Edgardo Perdigon.

Binay, who has been a congresswoman for six years, admitted that she had no plans to run for mayor. But with her brother dismissed, UNA decided to field her in the mayoral post instead.

“Wala naman talaga akong planong tumakbo. Nagdesisyon ‘yung pamilya at partido… dahil sa pangigipit na ginawa sa kapatid ko. Grabe ‘yung pangigipit. Kailangang ipagpatuloy ‘yung laban kaya kailangang ako ‘yung mag-file ng pagka-mayor,” she said in an ABS-CBN report.

(I didn’t have any plans to run. Our family and the party decided [for me to run] because of the harassment being done towards my brother. The harassment’s too much. We need to continue the fight that’s why I need to file [a candidacy] for mayor.)

It can be noted that the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed Mayor Binay for his alleged involvement in the overpriced Makati City Parking Building II.

He was accused of grave misconduct and dishonesty as there were ‘irregularities in the services and contract for the construction in several phases of the parking building.’