Jinggoy offers PMP presidency to Binay

MANILA, Philippines - After bolting the Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas-Laban (PDP), Vice President Jejomar Binay has another party leadership post waiting for him – courtesy of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.

Estrada said he is offering his post as president of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) to Binay who announced earlier he was forming another political party after leaving PDP-Laban.

“The PMP will always be supportive of Vice President Binay. (If) he forms his own political party, I think the PMP will merge with his new political party,” Estrada said. “I am offering him my position as president of PMP if ever he wants to join our political party.”

He expressed confidence that Binay has what it takes to become the next president of the Philippines.

Estrada, who is facing a plunder complaint before the Ombudsman, said he has not finalized whether he will run for a higher office in 2016 because it is still two years away from the elections. He said that winning any post is “destiny.”

Estrada has also admitted that the pork barrel scam has affected his political career. He maintained however that the accusations against him are all “fabricated stories.”

“I can fight it out in court if ever. But this has surely affected me adversely,” he said.

He also did not rule out running in 2016 as Binay’s runningmate.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bongbong Marcos Jr is has not closed his doors to 2016 elections, but stressed any decision would have to be made “at a later date.”

“Just keep all our options open and see what the future will bring,” Marcos said. He said he is likely to seek reelection, if ever.

Silence

Malacañang is mum on its plans for 2016 even as Binay earlier announced his decision to leave the PDP-Laban to form his own political party – apparently in preparation for the next presidential elections.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing yesterday that President Aquino was not prepared to make known his “anointed one” – or whether it would still be Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II for the administration and the Liberal Party.

Lacierda also said he was not aware if the President’s celebrity-sister Kris or Sen. Francis Escudero was being groomed for vice presidential contender in 2016.

The camp of Roxas is bitter about Escudero’s supporting Binay’s vice presidential bid instead of Roxas’.

“Let me tell you that we are in the 849th day of our administration. There’s still those number of days for governance, so we have no comment on the formation of a new political party by Vice President Binay,” he said. “Obviously, if that is true, that is his decision to make. We have no hand in there, so we have no comment.”

He reiterated an earlier declaration from the President – made in an interview with Bloomberg – that he was focused on governance.

Lacierda said even Roxas was busy performing his duties. He declined to say, however, if the DILG chief would make a good presidential candidate.

“It’s a decision that the President has to make who his handpicked choice will be. It’s too far off and I don’t want to preempt the President,” he said. “Whatever decision he makes, we will support, and we will wait for his decision, and wait for his announcement. Again, we still have 849 days left in office,” he said.

In the case of Binay, Lacierda said he does not think the vice president’s announcement would affect his job in the Cabinet. Binay is the chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating and presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers’ concerns.

“We know that Vice President Binay has never shied from saying that he wants to be president. And I think all of them are fully aware that they have responsibilities to perform, and I don’t think the fact that they are entertaining a presidential run would affect their performance in their respective capacities,” Lacierda said.

“I think it’s a mandate for all public officials to serve the public good, whether you are running for a higher office or not,” he added. With Aurea Calica, Jose Rodel Clapano, Jess Diaz