Binay counting on ‘lucky punch’ in ‘welterweight’ fight vs Roxas

By: Christine O. Avendaño - 9 years ago

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Vice President Jejomar Binay INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

From a “lightweight” fight in 2010, it will be a “welterweight” showdown for the 2016 presidential election between him and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Vice President Jejomar Binay said on Thursday.

Binay said he was counting on his “lucky punch” to win again against Roxas, the way he beat the latter in the vice presidential race in 2010.

Speaking to reporters in Cavite City, Binay was asked to comment on the official endorsement of Roxas by President Benigno Aquino III on Friday as the ruling coalition’s standard-bearer .

‘You’ve seen surveys’

The Vice President said that at least the question of whether Roxas would run for president was settled.

Asked whether he had a better chance of winning against Roxas in a two-way fight, Binay said he did not want to brag “but you have seen the surveys.”

READ: Roxas on Binay run: Filipinos are smart voters

He was referring to surveys showing he continued until recently to top polls on voter’s preference for the next president while Roxas continued to lag behind.

Like boxing

Told that this would not be the first time they would be fighting each other for an elective post, he said: “Yes, but in a different way. If in boxing, previously it was lightweight, now perhaps it’s welterweight.”

So can he replicate the outcome of his lightweight fight against Roxas in 2016? “My lucky punch is still there,” Binay said.

Binay said that in every election that he joined, he always felt he was the underdog that was why he had to “fight and fight.”

On his advantage over his possible foes in May, he said the issues in the 2016 elections would be experience, capability and love for the people of the next leader.