ON A COLLISION COURSE In separate interviews at the Inquirer office, reelectionist Makati City Mayor Abby Binay and her brother Junjun Binay, who intends to challenge her in the 2019 polls, explain why they are not backing down from the fight. Abby shows a document stating she’s the official candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance, the party headed by their father, while Junjun asserts that there was a family agreement for his sister to serve just one term. —PHOTOS BY REM ZAMORA AND JAM STA. ROSA
Senator Nancy Binay admitted on Tuesday having shed tears over the ongoing rivalry between her siblings who are both gunning for the mayorship of Makati City.
The senator’s brother, former Makati City mayor JunJun Binay, has already filed his certificate of candidacy for mayor. He will run against their sister, incumbent Makati Mayor Abigail “Abby” Binay, who has publicly announced her reelection bid next year.
“Ang dami na naming luha, ang dami ng luha na ‘to,” the senator told reporters at the Senate when asked about her sister, who became emotional in a television interview on Monday.
“Gusto ko nga paggising ko, pwede, matutulog na lang ako ulit,” Binay added in jest.
As the eldest, Senator Binay said she does not interfere with the issues of her siblings.
READ: Binay sibling rivalry stirs up Makati polls
“Ay hindi ako nakikialam. Mabait akong ate, hindi ako nagdidikta,” she said.
Besides, she said, the rivalry between her siblings was beyond their family.
The senator pointed out that there are other people that they also have to consider, like their constituents in Makati.
Her family, she said, has to make a “sacrifice” to give the people of Makati an option to choose their leader.
But the senator said their priority now is to “isolate” their children from whatever issues they have within the family.
“Syempre, ang hirap ng dynamics namin ngayong pamilya,” she said.
“But, number 1 siguro priority naming magkakapatid is to isolate kids doon sa away na nagaganap…” the senator said. /muf/ac