Robin Padilla supports Binay vice presidential bid

MANILA, Philippines - Movie actor Robin Padilla endorsed yesterday the bid of Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay to seek the second highest post in the country.

“I am asking all voters to vote for Mayor Binay because he is the hope of poor Filipinos,” Padilla said, adding that he is not asking anything in exchange for endorsing Binay.

Binay said Padilla’s endorsement is a big boost to his vice presidential bid.

“It is heartwarming that a quality movie actor and a Muslim brother will show his support for my candidacy and express his trust in my capability to serve,” he said.

In a related development, two men riding tandem on a motorcycle were arrested yesterday for allegedly casing Binay’s house in San Antonio, Makati.

Senior Police Officer 1 Arnaldo Arcilla identified the suspects as Wilfredo Flores, 33; and Remilon Perez, 30, both jobless.

Bodyguards of Binay’s son, Councilor Junjun Binay, who is running for mayor, said they flagged down the suspects, who yielded an icepick and a fan knife.

Binay’s bodyguards, who requested anonymity, said the suspects failed to show any driver’s license, but one of them was wearing a T-shirt campaigning for mayoralty candidate Erwin Genuino, while the other has an identification card naming him as a supporter of Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, another mayoralty candidate.

Mercado laughed off the incident. “How can two candidates conduct surveillance on another candidate?” he said.