UNA: Binay’s color plain for all to see

MANILA, Philippines–The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) on Wednesday turned the tables on Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice for demanding Vice President Jejomar Binay’s resignation from the Cabinet, and for claiming he was being “two-faced” for being allied with the administration while criticizing the ruling party.

“There is no need to show the true colors of Vice President Binay. The evidence for his true colors is clear for all to see,” Navotas Rep. Tobias “Toby” Tiangco said in a privilege speech.

He went on to cite Binay’s relationship with the Aquinos, including President Benigno Aquino III’s mother, the late President Corazon Aquino.

“When President Aquino was in crisis, when President Noynoy Aquino was shot during the 1989 coup d’etat, it was not just his colors that Vice President Binay showed. He also put his life on the line for Cory Aquino,” he said.

‘Sowing intrigue’

According to Tiangco, he does not know why Erice is “trying to sow intrigue” between the President and the Vice President.

He said those who would sow intrigue were “like termites and are the ones who bring down an organization, not those who criticize. Those who are able to bring constructive criticism strengthen an organization.”

Tiangco insisted that there was no reason for Binay to resign from the Cabinet as demanded by Erice, especially since the Vice President enjoyed the highest trust, approval and performance ratings among the Cabinet members.

The people voted Binay into office, which means they want him to work with President Aquino, he said.

“I suggest that the Caloocan representative determine which Cabinet members are the ones people are not happy with, and these are the ones whom he should ask to resign,” he said.

Not from Palace

Tiangco also said he had not attributed the white paper maligning Makati Rep. Abigail Binay to Malacañang, as Erice alleged.

What he said was a politician had given a copy to a member of the Malacañang press corps to make it appear it came from the Palace.

He wondered why Erice had demanded an explanation from Representative Binay on the white paper alleging the misuse of her pork barrel funds, when so many other white papers had been circulating elsewhere.

He further surmised that Erice’s demand was intended to link the Vice President to the issue.

“My challenge to the Caloocan representative is to file a case in the Ombudsman so that Representative Binay could answer the allegations in the proper forum,” he added.

Criticizing own party

Tiangco disagreed with Erice’s statement that the Vice President should order his party mates to stop criticizing Malacañang.

The entire Liberal Party (LP) does not share Erice’s sentiment, he said.

“What would you feel if you belong to a party and you’re told not to criticize, not to do something or do something? Isn’t it that in a party, the voices of the members are the most important and are the ones the party should listen to and follow?” he said.

Unlike Erice, many other members of the LP were “open-minded” and have no problem working with UNA members who belong to the House majority, he said.

Zamora brothers

House Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora, for his part, said he wouldn’t want to be caught in the political crossfire between the ruling power and the camp of the Vice President two years before the 2016 polls.

Zamora said he did not feel alluded to by an earlier statement from Abigail Binay linking “two brothers” engaged in mining and politics to a white paper alleging misuse of her pork barrel funds.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Zamora said the ongoing political skirmish was between members of the House majority, with the people backing the Vice President on one side, and the people backing another candidate on the other side.

Zamora took exception to Representative Binay’s claim, noting that while he was in politics, he was not in mining.

His brothers Manuel and Salvador are the ones in the mining business.

‘Par for the course’

The “white paper” exposed by Vice President Binay’s daughter, Abigail, detailed the alleged anomalous transactions implicating her in the pork barrel scam, specifically the use of her Priority Development Assistance Fund for political rallies and vermiculture projects in the Makati financial district from 2007 to 2011.

According to Zamora, trading accusations is par for the course in politics and those who could not handle this should get out.

“If you are worried, with all your disillusions, then don’t join politics. Why run? Is this a good livelihood? What will you gain here?” he said.

“The problem is, this is par for the course. You get accused, sometimes you do the accusing. Many times you are right; sometimes you are wrong,” he added.

Zamora, however, said the political bickering for the 2016 elections was coming too early, but the matter was no concern for him and the members of the minority.

‘Show true colors’

In a privilege speech on Tuesday, Erice of the LP called on the Vice President to show his true colors and declare if he was an administration ally or a member of the opposition, noting the brickbats that Binay’s party was unleashing against the LP.

The Vice President cannot “have his cake and eat it, too” by enjoying the benefits of being allied with the Aquino administration sitting in its Cabinet, while at the same time having the privilege of lambasting the ruling party.

“If he is a true ally of the Aquino administration, he should order his children and party mates to stop their attacks against Malacañang and President Aquino’s party mates. But if he is a true leader of the opposition, he should immediately resign from the Cabinet so that he could continue hitting the mistakes made by the Aquino administration and the Liberal Party,” Erice said.

Erice noted that Binay’s daughter Abigail and his UNA party were part of the LP-led majority bloc in the House of Representatives.

Binay’s daughter-lawmaker and his UNA party mate, Tiangco, have claimed that the President’s party was responsible for the black propaganda against Binay.

Looking for candidate

But Zamora, who heads the 19-member minority bloc in the House of Representatives, said:

“Unless we (in the minority bloc) are able to get our own candidate who will win the presidency, this is really their business, this is really their concern. And while we will watch with interest, this is not really important to us,” the minority leader said.

He said he was looking to support someone for the presidency in 2016.

“I only have one thing to say. We will not join someone who will lose,” Zamora added.

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