MANILA – Senator Nancy Binay said that she expects the allegations against her father and 2016 presidential candidate, Vice President Jejomar Binay, to escalate up until the elections, but that the Vice President and his camp are ready to meet the accusations head-on.
“It’s just sad that the level of campaigning has not matured. Instead of the candidate telling people how he or she will resolve the problems, campaigning is about throwing dirt,” Sen. Binay said in an interview with radio dzMM.
“They are thinking of a lot of options. One is to impeach [Vice President Jejomar Binay and can thus no longer run in 2016. Another option is to extend the term of the president,” she added.
She made the statement in reference to the ongoing Senate probe into the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall II parking building by VP Binay and his camp.
The probe was initiated by initiated by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who has likewise expressed his intent to run for higher office in 2016, but did not disclose for which position.
Trillianes has also indicated that he will investigate other Makati projects, such as the Makati Science High School and the Ospital ng Makati, which he says may have been overpriced, as well.
Sen. Binay injected her belief that amid the accusations against her brother, winning the presidency is “all about destiny, God’s will.” Although she herself has not been spared from the controversy.
Former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado said in one of the hearings that Sen. Binay supplies the alleged overpriced cakes given by Makati City to its senior-citizen constituents on their birthdays.
In an earlier statement, Binay condemned the allegations that she had financial interest in the supply of the reported overpriced cakes.
During the radio interview, she reiterated that she had nothing to do with the cakes: “I question the timing. This happened when I became critical of the [Disbursement Acceleration Program]. There is also an effort to ruin my name in order to discredit me and my opinions.”
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Vice President Binay said that he is undaunted by the accusations, and remains unwavering in his commitment to the nation.
“May mga nagsasabi sa akin, ‘naku Vice, huwag kang mawalan ng loob, alam naman naming paninira lang ang kanilang ginagawa sa iyo. Siguro dala-dala lang na ito ng mga survey na laging kayo ang nangunguna, at dahil sa pagkakahayag n’yo na kayo ay kakandidato sa halalan sa 2016 bilang pangulo. Ganoon na lamang po, damang-dama ko ang pagsuporta, kasama sa dasal,” he said.