President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday said he does not understand how Vice President Jejomar Binay could have spoken against his administration when he did everything to help him.
“Hinalal siya ng taumbayan, binigyan ko (s’ya) ng lahat ng pagkakataon para hindi s’ya maging spare tire (He was elected by the people, I gave him all the opportunities not to become a spare tire,” Aquino said at the sidelines of the Livestock expo and convention in Manila.
On Monday, the Vice President resigned as a member of Aquino’s Cabinet. Two days later, he gave a scathing speech against the administration, calling it “manhid” (insensitive) and “palpak” (bumbling).
The President said he was surprised with Binay’s resignation “at this point in time.”
READ: Fed up, Binay bolts Cabinet | Binay: Aquino government ‘palpak’
Opportunities
Aquino said he made Binay head of the National Housing Authority. He said he also granted Binay’s request to make him Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Affairs.
“Ipinagkaloob natin sa kanya ‘yung pagkakataon na manaliti ‘yung kanyang popularity ratings bagama’t hindi natin siya kaalyado ‘nung tumakbo sa eleksyon, bagama’t ‘nung 2013 e nandun siya sa kabilang grupo. Hindi natin siya parang pinigilan na ‘yung magkaroon naman ng pagkakataon na marecognize ‘yung kanyang trabaho,” the President said.
(We gave him the opportunity to maintain his popularity ratings although we weren’t allies during the elections, even if in 2013 he was with another group. We didn’t prevent him from getting recognition for his work.)
Smiling in exasperation, Aquino said Binay seemed to have been withholding “secrets on how to better run the country.
“Palagay ko may obligasyon siya na miyembro siya ng Gabinete na ibinahagi niya ito (I think he has an obligation as a member of the Cabinet to share those things),” he said, echoing his earlier statements on Binay’s criticisms against the administration.
Aquino said if people ask him why Binay didn’t share his ideas with the Cabinet, he would just point to the Vice President.
“Kung may maitutulong ka sa ikakabuti ng taumbayan na pinangakuan nating paglilingkuran, bakit mo naman isinisikreto (If you can contribute to the betterment of the people who you pledged to serve, why would you not help)?” he said.
Aquino also wondered out loud if Binay’s decision to break ties with the Cabinet was spurred by his realization that he would not get the President’s endorsement for 2016.
Among the potential presidential candidates, only Binay has declared his intent to run in 2016.
“Baka naman napag-isip siyang hindi siya ang ma-e-endorso natin, so kailangan ipakita niyang hindi niya kailangan ‘yung endorsement o may mas maganda siyang kayang magawa (Maybe he thought he wouldn’t get our endorsement so now he has to show the public that he doesn’t need it or he can do better),” he said.
He lamented Binay’s decision to criticize the administration amid his good relationship with Aquino.
The President said they were together in the Cabinet and he couldn’t recall an instance when they deprived Binay of any request.
“I treated him as a member of the official family. We’ve been through a lot,” he said of Binay, who has close ties with the Aquino family.
Binay was an ally of Aquino’s mother, the late Corazon Aquino who was the first female president of the Philippines.
“Siguro ganyan talaga ang pulitika sa ating bansa (Maybe that is really how politics works in the Philippines),” the President said.
Point by point
The President confirmed that the letter Binay’s daughter, Makati City Representative Abigail Binay, gave to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa was a resignation letter that contained only one sentence. Reports said Binay wrote, “I hereby tender my irrevocable resignation as member of the Cabinet effective immediately.”
When they talked on the phone on Monday, Aquino asked for the reasons behind the abrupt resignation. “What was the immediate reason that prompted him to do this action?” he asked.
Binay said he had a lot of reasons and that he will just write it down and send to the President.
Aquino said he and his Cabinet members will answer Binay’s accusations point by point.
“Ngayon, ang dami kong gustong sabihin sa totoo lang, pero palagay ko dapat yata e ‘yung i-formalize ko na rin ‘yung statement para maging maliwanag na maliwanag sa ating mga sagot sa kanyang mga sumbat,” he said.
“At siguro kung tatanungin mo, ano ang pakiramdam ko? Pangkarinawan naman siguro sa Pilipino, kayo na lumagay sa posisyon ko, paano ko ba siya tinirato ng mali at tapos ito ang isinukli? Kaya thank you na rin sa kanya.”
(Now, I have a lot of things I want to say but I think I have to formalize a statement so I can be clear in my response to his criticisms. And if you ask me how I feel? I think it is normal among Filipinos, if you are in my position, I can’t help but ask why he did that when I treated him fairly.)
No time for politics
Without referring to Binay, the President said other politicians have the “luxury” to devote all their time for campaigning but he remains focused on running the country.
Aquino said it is not his primary function to engage in the political debate, especially concerning the 2016 elections.
He said he won’t be distracted by political debates.
“Palagay ko klarong klaro sa taongbayan sino ang nagsasabi ng tama at mali (I think it is clear among the public who is saying the truth and who is saying lies),” Aquino said in conclusion.
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