CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines?He may have been hit below the belt for his high ratings in the latest Pulse Asia survey.

Opposition vice presidential candidate and incumbent mayor of the country?s top financial district, Jejomar Binay, said the issue wouldn?t have surfaced if his ratings had not gone up in the vice presidential surveys.

?If I didn?t get to this point where my ratings go up every day and that I probably would win the elections, this issue wouldn?t have come up,? Binay said. ?This is black propaganda.?

But Binay on Friday admitted having an affair with another woman ?a long time ago.?

Binay?s disclosure came a day after Pulse Asia showed him closing in on survey leader Liberal Party vice presidential aspirant Sen. Manuel Roxas II.

It also showed him barging into second place, overtaking Nacionalista Party candidate Sen. Loren Legarda.

Binay came clean about the content of an e-mail sent to news desks and reporters that he once had a relationship with a woman other than his wife, former Makati Mayor Dr. Elenita Binay.

?That happened. I?m not denying it. But that was a long time ago. I already asked for forgiveness from my wife. I am only human. I also commit mistakes,? he told reporters following the campaign of his standard-bearer former President Joseph Estrada.

?We have already talked about this within our family. This happened a long time ago. It?s not as if it happened yesterday or last year,? he added.

Binay did not give details about the affair.

Binay?s son, Makati mayoral candidate Jejomar Erwin ?Jun-jun? Binay Jr., said their family was ?united and happy? despite the issue.

?I think it was five years ago when [my father] admitted to us he had an affair with another woman. Obviously, it was difficult for the family. But it made us strong as we openly discussed it,? Jun-jun Binay told the Inquirer on Friday.

?Our family was hurt, especially my mother. But my mom and dad worked things out,? he said.

He recalled that his father even took time off to work things out with his mother.

?It would have been a lot easier for her to just give up. But obviously, our family has foundation?it is deeply rooted,? Jun-jun Binay said.

Reaction of the insecure

Binay said his foes were becoming ?desperate? and resorted to such tactics. He also branded them ?insecure.?

?[These] are desperate tactics by our foes. It is sad they have resorted to mudslinging. But this thing happened a long time ago. This is the reaction of the insecure,? Binay said. ?You wouldn?t be the target of mudslinging if they are not threatened.?

Smear season

Asked if he knew who was spreading the news about his affair, Binay said: ?I just leave these things up to God.?

His campaign team braced itself for black propaganda after Binay started showing considerable and steady increases in the pre-election polls.

Binay?s spokesperson Lito Anzures said while the elections should be about issues ?we expect those who have been rattled by our candidate?s recent strong showing in the national surveys to go to the extent of fabricating wild tales.?

?This is smear season, especially with the serious challenge posed by our candidate Jojo Binay against front-runner Mar Roxas,? Anzures said.

Edited pictures

Jun-jun Binay also denied rumors that his father had a child with the ?other woman.?

?I believe my father when he said he did not have children outside his marriage. But if the rumor is true, we will face it. We will not turn our back on new responsibilities,? he said.

Jun-jun Binay, who is leading the mayoral race according to Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations surveys, said the issue did not affect his candidacy.

CDs labeled ?Makati scandal? featuring pictures of Binay and his alleged mistresses had been distributed to Makati residents.

When asked to comment, Jun-jun Binay said the pictures were ?obviously edited.?