Binay definitely running for president in 2016, says spokesman

Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Nothing and nobody can stop Vice President Jejomar Binay from running for the highest office of the land in 2016, no matter who his opponents would be, not even if President Benigno Aquino is one of them.

“Vice President Binay’s candidacy in 2016 is not dependent on the possible candidates of the other parties,” Joey Salgado, spokesperson for the vice president, said in a statement on Saturday.

In a television interview in Bicol, Binay was asked if he was willing to face Aquino as an opponent in the 2016 elections, to which he answered in the affirmative, saying the presidency “has been my dream since I was a child.”

Binay’s camp, however, seems certain that Aquino will be out of the way of Binay’s presidential ambition.

Binay “believes the President will eventually ignore the manufactured clamor for political Charter Change coming from a clique within the Liberal Party,” Salgado said.

Salgado said the push for amending the Constitution was divisive and would put the three branches of government on a collision course.

“The Vice President feels that the political division and heated debates will undermine the economic achievements of the Aquino administration as it could lead to a decline in investor confidence. All the efforts of the President to move our country forward will come to naught,” he said.

Binay advised Aquino to devote his remaining years in office to “addressing the issues of poverty, the looming power crisis, and other concerns of the people.”

The Binay camp attributed talk about Charter change to the Liberal Party which Salgado said  was “obsessed with keeping power.”

For Binay, it was clear that Aquino did not make a categorical statement that he would be running in 2016, but merely said he would  hold consultations and listen to the voice of the people.

“The President’s words are being falsely represented as a categorical statement that he will run in 2016, and as a result will face off with Vice President Binay,” Salgado said.

He said those misrepresenting or twisting Aquino’s words wanted to sow intrigue between Aquino and Binay.

“Vice President Binay believes that despite the intrigues, his working relationship and friendship with the President will remain strong,” Salgado said.

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