Jejomar Binay on sibling war: 'Let voters decide'

MANILA, Philippines — The people of Makati should be the ones to choose between re-electionist Mayor Mar-Len Abigail “Abby” Binay and her brother former mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay, their father former vice president Jejomar Binay said yesterday.

“The people of Makati will decide,” the elder Binay, himself a former mayor for over 20 years, said in the statement issued by his spokesman Joey Salgado.

Binay said he would not choose which of his children is “deserving to become mayor.”

He said he respects their decision to run for mayor, with Abby being the candidate of the elder Binay’s party United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) and Junjun running under local party Una ang Makati (UAM).

However, the Binays agreed that only the siblings’ respective platforms would be tackled during the campaign period and that they should remind their supporters to remain “honorable and calm.”

Binay said the two camps “should avoid foul language and keep the campaign positive and peaceful.” 

They should also show that “Makati will be the model of a peaceful and clean election.”

In a statement also issued by Salgado, Abby claimed her re-election bid has their father’s support. 

She said that when she took over as mayor two years ago, Makati was “in a state of neglect and disorder… worse, dirty politics and shameless political patronage had taken their toll on basic social services.”

Junjun, meanwhile, thanked their father for “respecting the voters of Makati” by not taking sides.

He said he will file his certificate of candidacy (COC) today. 

Junjun first ran for mayor in 2010 and was re-elected in 2013 while Abby won in 2016 and is seeking a second term.

New face

In Navotas, Councilor Dan Israel Ang, 28, is going up against outgoing Rep. Tobias Tiangco, 50, who is running for mayor.

Ang filed his COC at the local Commission on Elections office along with his runningmate Raymond Cruz, a son of former vice mayor Gardy Cruz, and his congressional candidate three-term Councilor Marielle del Rosario.

He was accompanied by his family’s long-time lawyer Rene Saguisag. Ang said he hopes voters will give a chance to young politicians like him who are challenging a long-entrenched political clan.

Ang managed his own hardware store and the family’s fishing business before running for councilor in 2016, when he placed second in his district.

During the 2016 elections, Ang’s father, uncle and a friend were charged for allegedly attacking a traffic enforcer they accused of vote buying. Ang brushed off the charges as politically motivated.

Wrapping up his third and last term, outgoing Mayor John Rey Tiangco will gun for his elder brother’s congressional post.

The Tiangco siblings have yet to file their COCs.

Re-electionists

In Malabon, Mayor Antolin “Lenlen” Oreta III yesterday filed his COC for a third and last term.

He was accompanied by his wife Melissa, his runningmate Councilor Bernard dela Cruz and his full slate of 12 councilor candidates.

His brother Jose Lorenzo and cousin Paolo are seeking fresh terms as councilors.

Oreta shrugged off Vice Mayor Jeannie Sandoval’s bid to run against him for the mayoral post.

Valenzuela Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian filed his COC yesterday, seeking a third term.

He was accompanied by his slate and his brother Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.

As of press time, no candidate has filed a COC for mayor.

The mayor’s brother Wes Gatchalian and Eric Martinez filed their COCs for fresh terms as congressmen yesterday.

In Quezon City, District 1 Rep. Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo yesterday filed his COC for mayor, accompanied by his runningmate Jopet Sison, a former councilor.

Crisologo is running against the tandems of Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte and Councilor Gian Sotto, and former congressman Chuck Mathay and Councilor Roderick Paulate.

Switching tracks

Contrary to earlier reports, former mayor Lito Atienza is not eyeing to reclaim his former post but will instead run for a third and final term as Buhay party-list representative.

Speaking at a forum, Atienza said, “it dawned on me that I am still needed in Congress to face the issues on Cha-cha, federalism, among others, which is to the best of all, rather than focus on local issues.”

He also joked that he is disqualified from running because he was underage. Mayor Joseph Estrada, who is running for his last term, and former mayor Alfredo Lim are both in their 80s.

Former police general Elmer Jamias yesterday filed his COC to run for vice mayor as an independent candidate.

“My aim is to rid the city and the city hall of corruption,” he said.

Jamias’ exploits inspired the movie “Barako ng Maynila” in 2000. He made headlines in 2015 when then vice president Binay publicly admonished him for serving an arrest warrant on Junjun. – With Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Emmanuel Tupas, Rey Galupo