Binay eyes Bongbong Marcos as VP bet

Vice President Jejomar Binay, one of those who was at the forefront of the People Power revolution that toppled the dictator Ferdinand Marcos three decades ago, is now eyeing the latter’s son to be his running mate in the presidential elections next year.

Binay, who heads the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) party, told reporters in an interview in Davao City that he was not averse to having Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on his team and that his party’s search committee was “considering him.”

Binay was in Davao City on Friday night to attend the 50th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines Davao City Council.

The young Marcos’ name came up when the Vice President was asked to comment about a possible alliance between the Nacionalista Party (NP) and the Liberal Party (LP) after Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, a member of the NP, recently disclosed that he was getting feelers to be the running mate of Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, the presumptive standard bearer of the LP.

“Hindi pa natin malaman kasi si Bongbong nandyan pa. Bongbong (Marcos Jr.’s nickname) is a Nacionalista. We are considering him, our search committee,” Binay said.

Binay said he had yet to speak to Marcos about the possibility of running with him in the next elections. He added that the reports that political parties like the NP and LP were “disorganized” would benefit him in the 2016 elections.

The Vice President said he believed that more candidates entering the presidential race would mean the more votes for him.

“Mas malaki ang advantage ko ’pag maraming divisor (I will have a greater advantage if there were more divisors),” he said.

“It is obvious what is happening to them. They are disorganized. We (in UNA) remain solid and united,” Binay said.

Marcos, commenting on reports that he was being eyed as a running mate by Binay, said it was always a compliment to be considered.

But Marcos said he would wait and see if it was just an idea, or if something would materialize.

He also said he was still mulling his options for 2016, and added that the plan of his party, the Nacionalista Party, must be taken into account.

As for the political plans of the younger Marcos, a run for the presidency himself has not been ruled out. A spokesperson for the Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka (PMM) said it was teaming up with the late dictator’s party, the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), to push the candidacy of Marcos Jr. for President.

PMM president Jose Malvar Villegas, who is also founder of the nongovernment group Citizen Crime Watch, said they would like to see Bongbong team up with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, a controversial official himself who has been criticized for openly advocating summary executions for criminals.

“It will be a real team to reckon with,” according to Villegas.

Marcos said he was grateful to the KBL and the PMM for their support and confidence in him.

“I will of course always include the sentiments of my friends and supporters in all that I do,” he said.

As for Duterte, Marcos said he had the highest regard for the Davao City mayor both as a person and a leader.

“Certainly, he would be a valuable partner for anybody running for President or as a candidate for that position himself,” he said.

Binay was also all praises for Duterte. When asked about his meeting with the controversial local chief executive, Binay said Duterte was “warm” toward him. “He is a personal friend. Duterte is very qualified and there is no bad blood between us,” Binay said.

Asked to comment on the possibility the mayor would join UNA, Binay said: “I will be very, very happy. Kahit papaano, mahal din ng bayan si Mayor Duterte, qualified na, may experience pa (At the very least, the country loves Mayor Duterte. He is a qualified and experienced public offical),” Binay said.

Last May, Duterte publicly turned down Binay’s offer to be his running mate, saying he had no plans to seek a national position.