Binay accepts ratings decline, blames ‘baseless attacks’

Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Vice President Jejomar Binay accepted on Tuesday the significant drop in his performance and trust ratings, saying he was “grateful”  that he remained the most trusted government official despite “baseless attacks.”

Binay’s spokesman, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla, though noted that the ongoing investigation on the Makati City Hall parking building by the Senate blue ribbon sub-committee was obviously meant to influence the surveys.

“The survey was taken at the height of the one-sided Senate hearings and did not cover the live speech. We feel that it would have been a different picture had the survey captured this event since the people would have heard the Vice President’s point by point reply,” Remulla said in a statement.

“We also note that the decline is mainly in the urban areas because of media access, and our figures are basically unchanged in rural areas,” he said.

Remulla said it would be interesting if the Pulse Asia had also surveyed the trust rating of other political personalities included in the list of possible contenders, other than the top five officials in the land.

This, he said, would give a clearer perspective of the public’s sentiment at the time the survey was taken.
“Nonetheless, we accept the results. The Vice President is grateful that he remains most trusted government official despite the baseless attacks. He will continue clarifying the issues directly to the people and performing his duties,” Remulla added.

From 81 percent in June, Binay’s performance approval rating dropped to 66 percent based on the latest survey conducted by Pulse Asia from September 8 to 15.

The same survey also showed a 15-point drop in Binay’s trust rating from 79 percent in June to 64 percent in September.

Binay has been accused of accepting bribes and other irregularities while he was the mayor of Makati City.

He is also facing plunder and graft complaints, along with other individuals, at the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the allegedly anomalous construction of the controversial Makati City Hall 2 parking building.

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