Binay told: You could have discussed issues with Aquino in person

Following Vice President Jejomar Binay’s speech on Wednesday criticizing the blunders of President Benigno Aquino III’s Cabinet and the political persecution he received from the latter’s allies, a Palace official said that the Vice President could have personally discussed his issues with the President.

While acknowledging the vice president’s service to the Aquino Cabinet, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Binay’s chosen path “will define him not only as an official but as a person.”

“He has made the unfortunate choice to commence his presidential run with statements that he could have otherwise discussed with the president as a Cabinet member but chose not to,” Lacierda said.

“We note furthermore that in then five years of service to President Aquino, he has never spoken ill of the governance policies of the president,” he added.

In a speech at the Coconut Palace, Binay hit the blunders of Aquino and his Cabinet, including their failure to address the woes of commuters, to give justice to the 44 men of the Special Action Force who during the Mamasapano operation, and to demand answers from his allies who were responsible for the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program, parts of which were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

“May hangganan ang pagtitiis ng isang tao. Tama na, sobra na. Bakit hindi nila ako harapin sa malinis na halalan?” Binay said.

(A person can only take so much. I have had enough already. Why don’t they just face me in a clean election?)

READ: Binay calls Aquino admin ‘uncaring,’ ‘blundering’

He also slammed Aquino and his allies for the “selective justice” he has gotten amid the corruption allegations hurled against him.

“Ang umiiral ay selective justice. Iba ang hustisya at mga benepisyo ng mga kaibigan at kaalyado ng partidong nasa kapangyarihan,” he said.

(Selective justice is prevailing (in this administration). His friends and allies are given special benefits.)

On Monday, Binay resigned as the chief of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and as the presidential adviser on OFW affairs. His daughter Makati Representative Abigail Binay personally delivered the letter addressed to President Aquino and to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa.

READ: Binay quits Aquino Cabinet

In an previous interview with DZMM, the younger Binay said her father resigned from the Aquino Cabinet as he was too tired for being treated as its “punching bag.” IDL