Binay sad over Noy’s criticism on performance as housing czar

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay said he was saddened by President Aquino’s remark that he had done nothing as housing czar.

Binay told reporters in Bacoor, Cavite on Wednesday that the President might have been provided with the wrong information, like Aquino’s statement on the so-called “alternative truth” regarding the bungled police operations in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

“It’s saddening. It appears that the President was fed with inaccurate information. It’s just like (his) alternative truth. Everybody wondered what it’s all about. But it turned out to be wrong,” he said.

Last Sept. 17, Aquino clarified the statement he made on Sept. 8 that the government was looking into what he called an alternative truth to the events that led to the death of 44 police commandos in Mamasapano.

Aquino said there was no other version but that of the police Special Action Force (SAF) that the commandos killed international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, in Mamasapano, contrary to the claim of officials of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that the terrorist was killed by his own aide before the policemen arrived.

The President said based on evidence and on what official investigators have long held, members of SAF killed Marwan.

Binay said contrary to the President’s assessment regarding his performance as head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), much has been achieved in the housing sector under his watch.

“Pag-IBIG is one of the best government agencies in terms of policies, it generated huge income and savings,” he said.

Pag-IBIG is one of the agencies under the HUDCC, which Binay chaired for five years.

Meanwhile, Binay also rejected Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas’ call for his resignation as Vice President following the latter’s resignation as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.