I’ll never fight Noy, Aquinos – Binay

MANILA, Philippines - He owes what he is today to the Aquino family, so Vice President Jejomar Binay will never fight President Aquino.

“Other people are saying that the President and I will be fighting. That is next to impossible,” Binay told reporters yesterday in Maguindanao where he led the inauguration of a senior citizens’ building in Datu Odin Sinsuat and a multi-media center at the Mindanao State University.

His pronouncement came amid mixed signals from Malacañang on Aquino’s plans after the end of his term in 2016.

The President also took a dig yesterday at “early campaigning” for 2016, although he did not name names.

Binay is widely acknowledged as the standard-bearer of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance in the next presidential race.

“I owe what I am today to the Aquino family,” Binay said. “I don’t have any respect for those who do not know how to repay their debt of gratitude, especially those who do not respect their parents.”

He recalled that he was the first local government official appointed by then President 0Cory Aquino immediately after the EDSA people power revolution in 1986.

He earlier said he helped secure the Aquino family during several coup attempts against her administration.

Recently, Aquino’s sisters acknowledged Binay’s loyalty to their family.

They were even quoted in news reports as having declared their preference for Binay as successor to their brother.

President Aquino, however, clarified that his sisters had never categorically voiced support for Binay’s presidential bid in 2016.

Aquino was reacting to news reports quoting his sisters Ballsy and Kris as saying that Binay has the capability and integrity to carry on their brother’s achievement.

In an interview with TV5 which aired Sunday night, Aquino said that on learning of the report, he immediately sought his sisters’ explanation through text and was told they had been forced by the media to “say something.”

“Number two, the gist of what they said seemed to be, ‘If he will continue what our brother started, thank you, or beautiful,’ which is not exactly the same as ‘you will be the one to continue.’ They were asked to react,” Aquino said.

Early this month, Binay said he received feelers from the ruling Liberal Party that he was being considered as its guest candidate in the 2016 elections.

He also thanked the Aquino sisters for their support.

Aquino said his sisters were not known for making reckless statements and that they would always give him a reality check on various issues and developments.

He said his sisters have their own lives and he would not want them to get involved in the tough aspect of his job as the nation’s leader.

But he said inputs and observations from his sisters are always reliable because of the “interesting lives that we have lived.”

“I am always assured that they will tell me the truth and nothing but the truth,” Aquino said.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, for his part, said he has no doubts about Binay’s commitment to UNA.

Estrada, Binay and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile make up the so-called “three kings” or the executive committee of UNA.

“We have an understanding that he will stay with UNA. I am confident that he will not transfer to the administration Liberal Party or other political parties for the 2016 presidential elections,” Estrada said.

“The 2016 presidential election is still very far. Anything can still happen. It’s too early. We will just play it by ear,” Estrada said.

Binay was accompanied to Maguuindanao by former Tarlac governor Margarita Cojuangco and Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian.

Binay also met with Maguindanao Vice Gov. Lester Sinsuat and Mayor Ombra Sinsuat.

Binay met briefly with other local leaders, including Bimbo Sinsuat and Tucao Mastura.

The vice president also met with Cotabato City-based peace activist Fr. Eliseo Mercado Jr., executive director of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance.

Charges amended

Meanwhile, the complainants in the plunder case lodged with the Office of the Ombudsman last month against Binay and his son Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay have amended their charge sheet.

In a supplemental affidavit filed yesterday, lawyer Renato Bondal and Nicolas Enciso said the decision to amend the complaint was based on a Commission on Audit (COA) report showing the alleged overpriced Makati Parking Building was actually put up for P2.711 billion and not just P1.56 billion as they had thought.

Bondal and Enciso said they now have more proof that the Binays and some 20 other councilors of Makati City should be charged with plunder.

According to them, the February 2014 report issued by resident COA auditor Cecilia Caga-anan, who was also named a respondent in their complaint, “indubitably provides the ammunition to our charge.”

In their original complaint, the complainants said the New Makati City parking building, an 11-storey structure located on F. Zobel Street, Poblacion, Makati City, was overpriced by P1.3 billion.

Joey Salgado, spokesman for the Binays, said the investigation being conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman would help clear the issue.

The six-page COA report said the construction of the structure was reasonably priced based on the findings of technical audit specialists.

Salgado and The STAR sources confirmed that the anti-graft agency is already conducting a preliminary investigation into the allegations. With Aurea Calica, Michael Punongbayan, John Unson