Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
Vice President Jejomar Binay admitted that he was wrong in declaring early his presidential bid in 2016.
So far, Binay was the only candidate, who has declared his intention to run for president next year. He made the declaration immediately after he won the vice presidency in 2010.
“Aminin ko na, nagkamali ako ng anticipation.’Di ba ako ang kauna-unahan na, balikan natin ang pagkakaanunsyo ko ng pagkakandidato, eh kinabukasan pagkatapos ng halalan ng 2010 kayong mga media talagang makukulit, tanong kayo ng tanong. ‘Oh, paano na ‘yan Vice? Vice ka na ngayon, ano bang plano mo sa 2016?’” he said in a radio interview Wednesday.
(I admit now, I did not anticipate things correctly. If you remember, I was the first to announce my candidacy, the day after the 2010 elections, the media kept on asking about my plans in 2016.)
READ: Binay presidency declaration an error–Belmonte
“Uulitin ko lang ‘yung buod ng sinabi ko, ako ho ay hindi magpapakahipokrito. May iba diyan, ‘kakandidato ka? Hindi,’ pero lahat ng kampanya ginagawa na tumatanggi pa. Sabi ko, ako po ay magkakandidato sa 2016. Ako po ay nakapaghanda sa posisyon ng pagkapangulo, mabigyan po ako ng pagkakataon para maipakita ko naman po ang aking kaalaman. ‘Yun na, ‘yung ebidensya ko ‘yung naggawa ko po sa Makati.”
(I will repeat the gist of my statement, I will not be a hypocrite. There are others, who, when asked if they would run, would deny it, yet they would still campaign. I said I would run in 2016. I’ve already prepared to run for president, to be given a chance to show what I know. And my showpiece is what I have done in Makati).
Binay was longtime mayor of Makati City before he became vice president.
“So, ang anticipation ko, akala ko kasama ng daang matuwid ang malinis na kampanya. Ito pala ay mas masahol pa sa mga nakaraang kampanya,” he further said.
(My anticipation was that clean campaigning would be a part of the administration’s ‘straight path’ policy. It turned out being worse than the previous campaign.)
The Vice President and his family have been the subject of a Senate probe on corruption allegations being hurled at him.
The investigation was initiated by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
But despite the attacks against him, Binay reiterated that he will not withdraw from the presidential race.
“Aba’y pinapanalo ko ho sila sa kanilang ginagawa (It’s like I am letting them win even after all the things they have done),” he said.
READ: Binay won’t back out in 2016, says Nancy
“Ang hangad po nila, ‘yun pong paninira sa aking pagkatao at sa aking pamilya, (ay formula para) huwag daw akong magkandidato. Aba, unang-una sabi ko, hindi naman ho totoo ‘yun. Pangalawa, ‘di lalabas na totoo ‘yun ‘pag ako ay umatras ho sa laban. (Pangatlo), hindi po tipo ni Jojo Binay ‘yung umaatras sa laban,” the Vice President added.
(Their intention is to destroy me and my family to stop my candidacy. But first, there is no truth to their allegations. Second, they would appear true if I back out. Third, Jojo Binay is not the type of person who backs out of a fight.) IDL