Binay to sue those who called him thief

Vice President Jejomar Binay speaks to barangay officials and residents during the inauguration of Barangay Waste Management System in Barangay Sto. Nino, Paombong, Bulacan on Monday. INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Vice President Jejomar Binay will not take name-calling against him lightly as he vows to file charges against those who branded him a “thief (magnanakaw).”

He, however, didn’t name names during a news conference on Tuesday night here that capped the first of a three-day sortie in Cebu City.

“Hindi ko po matatanggap yan (I cannot accept that),” he said in response to the question of a radio commentator on how he was taking some people calling him a “magnanakaw.”

Binay said this was the reason why he decided against attending the Senate hearing that looked into charges of corruption against him.

The Vice President stressed that a person invited to a Senate hearing should be seen as a resource person and not a respondent to a case.

“Yung inquiry is tungkol sa dalawang Makati building. Napunta na sa property ko. Nagnanakaw na raw ako. Dummy ako. Anong in aid of legislation? (The inquiry was about the two buildings in Makati. It later led to my property. I allegedly stole money from government. I allegedly had dummies. What is the aid of legislation in that)?” he asked.

Binay also denied allegations that he owned several condominium units that were under the name of dummies.

He said he did not know the alleged dummy owner, Ariel Olivar, who was named by Binay’s erstwhile ally, Ernesto Mercado, the former vice mayor of Makati City.

Binay warned Mercado on the charges he raised against him in the Senate.

“May pasasabugin po kami tungkol sa kanya. Magugulat kayo kung anong isisiwalat namin tungkol kay Mercado (We have an exposé on him. You will be surprised with what we are going to reveal about Mercado),” he said.

Binay was in Cebu for a three-day sortie. He went around the public markets and met with local officials on Tuesday.

He told reporters that he was not thinking of withdrawing from the presidential race despite the issues thrown at him.

He expressed his continuing support of the Aquino administration and said he has not thought of quitting the Cabinet.

“Dapat magsama ang vice president at president. Ito po ay tinatawag na bagong politika (The vice president and the President should work together. This is what is called new politics),” he said.

While he has been supportive of the programs of the government, he vowed that he would continue to criticize any wrongdoing by the Aquino administration.

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