Political analyst tells Aquino allies: Look who’s talking

Amid the claim of President Benigno Aquino III’s allies that Vice President Jejomar Binay was ungrateful for bolting the Cabinet and criticizing the administration a few days later, a political analyst on Friday said that Binay just saw a strategic timing to make a political move.

De La Salle University professor Dr. Antonio Contreras told Radyo Inquirer 990AM that while Binay had the opportunity to “jump ship” the last five years as a member of the Aquino administration, he opted to be a “team player.”

“Marami ngang nag-tatanong bakit ngayon lang siya kumalas eh ‘di ba napaliwanag ko na nga ‘yan. Marami pang pagkakataon ngayon lang ‘yung merong timing,” Contreras said.

(Many have been asking why Binay quit the Cabinet only now, and I have already explained it. He has had several opportunities before but he considered now as the perfect timing.)

“Nagkataon na nalagpasan na siya ni Senadora (Grace) Poe, so kailangan niya gumawa ng ingay in the best way (It so happened that Senator Poe already overtook him in surveys, so he needed to make noise the best way),” Contreras added.

Recent presidential surveys of Pulse Asia and the Social Weather Stations showed that Poe is now the most preferred prospective presidential candidate, overtaking Binay who previously led the polls for a long time.

READ: Grace Poe now leads presidential survey; Binay falls to 2nd |Grace Poe amazes in SWS, too

Two days after he tendered his irrevocable resignation, Binay slammed on Wednesday the Aquino administration calling the government “manhid (uncaring)” and “palpak (blundering).”

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

Vice President Jejomar Binay just saw a strategic timing to resign from the Aquino Cabinet, according to political analyst Antonio Contreras. FILE PHOTO

Contreras said that while there was nothing new with the statements of Binay, they came at a time when he was already fed up with what he claimed was the government’s “selective justice,” and not during the time when the administration was facing various criticisms.

“Ngayon kaya siya umaalis dahil sinasabi niya na ‘ako ang inapi.’ Siya ‘yung nagka problema. Hindi siya umalis na kung kelan mahina ang barko, tsaka siya tatalon,” Contreras said.

(He left because as he said, he was being done wrong. He was the one who had a problem. He did not jump ship when it was weak.)

On Thursday, Aquino fired back at Binay, saying he saved the Vice President from being a “spare tire.” His allies were also quick to hit Binay, criticizing his choice to remain silent when he was still a member of the Cabinet only to divulge his grievances after resignation.

READ: Binay told: You could have discussed issues with Aquino in person | Aquino on Binay: I saved him from being spare tire

Liberal Party (LP) stalwart and Caloocan Representative Edgar Erice even said Binay was ungrateful even after the appointments given to him by Aquino.

Contreras turned back to the allies of Aquino, reminding them of their previous political allegiances.

“Alam mo ‘yung mga accusation na siya ay wala ng utang na loob, eh baka nalilimutan ng mga taga LP na karamihan naman ng mga taga LP ay, kung ganon ang pamantayan, wala ring utang na loob,” he said.

(You know, amid their accusations that Binay is ungrateful, members of the LP might be forgetting that, that by that standard, they are also ungrateful.)

“Dating Lakas ‘yang mga ‘yan diba? Dati silang Lakas, nakinabang sila kay Gloria. Tapos nu’ng si Gloria ay mahina na, nagtalunan naman sila,” he said, referring to the Lakas Party headed by detained former President and now Pampanga representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

(They are former members of Lakas, aren’t they? They are former members of Lakas who benefited from Gloria’s reign. When Gloria lost her power, they jumped ship.) IDL