Binay stung by ‘epal’ tag, sees hand of conspiracy

SURIGAO CITY—Vice President Jejomar Binay is seeing a conspiracy behind the negative posts on social media deriding him as an “epal,” or one who is constantly seeking attention.

Binay has been on the receiving end of social media backlash after photos of relief items labeled with his name and plastered with the Vice President’s logo became viral. The relief items were intended for the victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda”

Binay admitted the relief items were donated on his behalf by a businessman-friend in Iloilo and had been intended for the typhoon-hit province and neighboring areas.

“But I did not instruct my friend to put my name on it,” the Vice President, who was here on Wednesday to inaugurate a housing project by the Surigao del Norte provincial government, told reporters.

“I had no control over the labeling but when I was informed about this, I had them removed.”

Other social media posts showed an Army truck with a tarpaulin streamer of Binay’s name and face, relief items in blue bags and a photo of the Vice President shaking hands with a Caucasian military officer, with an accompanying story that he was barred from entering a United Nations relief center.

Binay’s office, however, said the photo of the Army truck was taken in 2012, noting the establishments in the background had long been demolished and that the streamer was no longer being used. The blue relief bags were also from old photos. Danilo Adorador III, Inquirer Mindanao