AFTER Vice President Jejomar Binay’s strongly worded speech that hit the blunders of President Benigno Aquino III and his Cabinet, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) on Wednesday said the Vice President’s criticisms were aired not for the mere sake of attacking the administration.
Calling Binay as a “team player” when he was still with the Aquino Cabinet, UNA spokesman Mon Ilagan said the Vice President’s “constructive” criticisms were aimed at improving the delivery of basic services to the people.
“Pagdating sa polisiya at serbisyo, hindi maaalis sa Vice President na maging fiscalizer siya, not just for the sake of criticizing the Aquino administration, but a constructive criticism,” Ilagan said in an interview with reporters.
READ: Binay calls Aquino admin ‘uncaring,’ ‘blundering’
Ilagan also downplayed speculations that Binay’s resignation from the Aquino Cabinet was in line with his presidential bid in 2016 so he could freely criticize the administration.
“Wala naman siyang timing eh… I think what is more important now is siya ang namumuno sa opposition,” he said.
The UNA spokesman also said Binay would soon address the corruption allegations being hurled against him.
“’Yan ang susunod… Ang ating Vice President, matalino ‘yan. Siya ay isang abogado at alam niya ang proper timing and proper venue kung saan sasagutin ang mga issues and allegations being raised against him and his family,” Ilagan said.
Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza echoed Ilagan’s views, saying that Binay’s resignation from the Aquino Cabinet would allow him to air the “accumulative sentiments of the people.”
“’Yun ang benepisyo ng kanyang pagbibitiw. Now he is a free Filipino to speak for and on behalf of every Filipino,” Atienza said. “Noong nasa loob pa siya ng gabinete, sympre nakikisama siya. Pero ngayong nasa labas na siya, tayo na ang makikinabang diyan.”
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. In a 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.”
READ: Binay quits Aquino Cabinet
In a statement after the Vice President’s speech at the Coconut Palace, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Binay could have personally discussed his issues with the President.
READ: Binay told: You could have discussed issues with Aquino in person