Binay: Too early for politics

Vice President Jejomar Binay

Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday said it was too early to speculate about any possible tandems in the 2016 presidential elections.

“It’s too early to talk about politics at this point. I still have a lot of things to do, programs to implement to be able to fulfill my promise that I will serve the people,” said Binay, a presumptive candidate for president in 2016.

“If I reveal now who my running mate is, I’ll be earning enemies this early. 2016 is still too far away, many things could still happen,” he said.

Escudero or Estrada

According to Binay, it was still too early for him to consider either Senators Francis Escudero or Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada for his running mate though he said Estrada was one of those who have indicated to him his interest in the vice presidency in 2016.

“He is one of those who hinted at his interest [in running for vice president], but I am not considering anyone as my running mate at this time,” he said.

Estrada himself earlier dismissed talk that he would be Binay’s running mate in 2016, saying such speculation was “too premature.”

Escudero is widely expected to be Binay’s running mate as he was among those credited for the latter’s narrow victory over Transportation Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas in 2010.

Meanwhile, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Binay and deposed President Joseph Estrada on Thursday belittled the claim of House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte that the contemplated Liberal Party-Nacionalista Party-Nationalist People’s Coalition combine would be a formidable team in the 2013 national elections.

‘David and Goliath’

Navotas Representative Tobias Tiangco, the UNA secretary general, described the impending clash of these two coalitions as a fight between “David and Goliath” not only in terms of numbers but also in terms of resources, since government resources are at the disposal of the administration coalition.

Tiangco expressed some annoyance at Belmonte’s chiding the UNA for styling itself as the team to beat in 2013 despite its small numbers in the House and Senate, as well as in local governments, compared with the ruling Liberal Party and its coalition partners.

“All politics is local. The local candidates will be the ones to deliver the votes for the national candidates. We will not sacrifice our local leaders and candidates just to achieve the perception of national strength through sheer number,” Tiangco said.