VP Binay declares himself as head of the opposition in 2016

Three days after resigning from the Aquino Cabinet, Vice President Jejomar Binay officially declared himself as head of the opposition in the 2016 national and local elections during a press conference on Wednesday (June 24, 2015) at his office in the Coconut Palace, Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex, Pasay City. (Avito C. Dalan / PNA)

MANILA – Three days after resigning as Cabinet member, Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday officially declared himself as head of the opposition in the 2016 national and local elections.

”I’m Jojo Binay, your vice president, always said I’m proud to be real Filipino in heart and mind. I’ll will be with you for better or for worst, and now will lead the opposition,” Binay said in a televised press briefing at the Coconut Palace in Pasay City.

Without citing any reason, Binay tendered his irrevocable resignation last Monday as Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipinos Workers Concerns and as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

Binay has repeatedly expressed his intention to run for president in the 2016 elections.

In his speech, Binay vowed to offer the Filipino people a compassionate and effective government.

”It is my dream to have an effective government so that more, and not few, will benefit from the economic growth that we will achieve,” Binay said.

”We should have a government which listens and have real concerns especially to the poor,” he added.

The Vice President said he is fighting for a government that would let justice and peace reign, and one that would fervently strive to create more jobs to help the needy.

Binay slammed the selective justice of the current administration, criticizing the apparent disparity between the treatment of the opposition versus those allied with the ruling party.

Morever, the Vice President said while he was being vilified, those allied with the ruling party that are embroiled in controversies have gone unpunished.

He said the government has allowed to go unpunished those officials allied with the present administration but involved in the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDA) and Mamasapano incident.

The Vice President said he accepted the offer to join the Cabinet before because he wanted to repay with genuine service the trust of the public that elected him.

Binay dared his critics to face him in a clean and honest election in 2016 as he thanked the people for their continued trust in him despite incessant attacks against him.

The Vice President declared he won’t back out as presidential candidate, saying “I’m not withdrawing to any fight.”

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) sent an email, inviting the media for a 4pm press briefing but after reading his three-page speech, Binay did not allow the questions and answers portion and instead let his staff distributed hard copy of his speech and a press release.