Aquino drops by Binay’s office

MANILA, Philippines—In a visit described by an aide as a purely social call, President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday dropped by the newly renovated Coconut Palace inside the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex  in Pasay City where Vice President Jejomar Binay holds office.

Binay had invited the President to take a look at his office, which the Chief Executive had never seen before, according to Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang.

The vice president extended the invitation when he and President Aquino attended the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, which is adjacent to the hotel.

Binay told reporters at the event that he had to rush because President Aquino was visiting his office.

“It’s a social call rather than anything else,” Carandang told reporters of Aquino’s brief visit to Binay’s office.

The visit came at a time when Binay acknowledged he would eventually break away politically from the President.

Binay heads PDP-Laban while President Aquino belongs to the Liberal Party.