Trillanes: Binay must withdraw from 2016 race, too

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay should also withdraw from the 2016 presidential race after backing out of their scheduled debate, said Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday.

In a televised press conference on Tuesday, Trillanes said Binay's withdrawal from their debate destroyed his credibility and showed his "lack of intention to face the people."

"For the sake of the country, sana umatras siya. Itigil na niya itong panloloko niya at pagpapanggap niya," Trillanes said when asked about Binay's presidential bid.

Binay on Tuesday backed out of their debate slated for November 27 because of Trillanes's statements portraying himself as the underdog in their now-canceled face-off.

The vice president said he does not want to appear as someone who will take advantage of Trillanes, who is not a lawyer and lacks experience in public debates.

"That's the lamest excuse you can ever get from anyone," Trillanes said in a phone-patch interview on ANC. "Nobody is going to buy that."

Trillanes said he was not surprised with Binay's withdrawal, though he hoped that the debate will push through.

He believes that Binay has lost an opportunity to redeem himself since a debate would be the "best scenario" for the vice president.

The senator said he will be ready to face Binay if the latter changes his mind.

"But again, like all promises that he has made, mahirap panghawakan," he said.

It was Binay who challenged Binay to a debate after refusing to attend the Senate Blue Ribbon Sub-Committee hearings on the allegations hurled against him.

Binay has called the sub-committee a "kangaroo court," with Trillanes and Sen. Alan Cayetano gearing to derail his political ambition for 2016.

Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco, interim president of the United Nationalist Alliance, said in a previous television interview that Binay has nothing to gain from facing the Senate and from his debate with Trillanes.

The vice president's daughter, Sen. Nancy Binay, also said on Monday that a Senate inquiry and a debate were not the proper venues for his father to answer the allegations.

"Why should he stoop down to the level of Sen. Trillanes?" the younger Binay said.

"For me, the proper venue pa rin is the court. Kung may mga alegasyon, bakit hindi sila magsampa ng kaso?" she added.