Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile. Inquirer file photo
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile said the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) will be an “alternative” to President Benigno Aquino III’s administration.
UNA is a newly-formed coalition between former President Joseph Estrada’s Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino and Vice President Jejomar Binay’s PDP-Laban.
Enrile, who belongs to Binay’s group, conceded that UNA has a lot to prove than the Aquino’s Liberal Party-led coalition but said it was because the administration team was now in power.
“Totoo yun e. Marami kaming patutunayan sapagkat kami ang alternatibo [It’s true. We have a lot to prove because we are the alternative],” said the Senate leader Thursday when sought to comment on Aquino’s statement that UNA has a lot to prove than the LP-led coalition.
“Wala ng patutunayan ang administrasyon sapagkat sila ang may hawak ng gobyerno. Sila ay tunay na. Kami ang alternatibo [The administration has nothing to prove because they are in government. Truly they are. We are the alternative] ,” Enrile added.
Binay shrugged off Aquino’s statement, saying he would not take it as a direct attack on him.
“Ok naman yun, at least nare-recognize, ipinararating ang mga issue sa ating mga kabayayan. Malapit nang mag election so ok lang yun. That’s not too personal…[That’s just okay, at least we are recognized, the issues are being brought to our people. Elections are near so that’s okay],” he said in an interview.
“Si Pangulo ay opisyal ng Liberal Party, ako naman opisyal ng united opposition so ok lang iyon. Wala namang personalan doon e [The president is an official of the Liberal Party while I’m an official of the united opposition so that’s okay. There’s nothing personal about that],” Binay added.