Binay sends flowers for Cory Aquino despite rift with her son

Despite his rift with President Benigno Aquino III, Vice President Jejomar Binay joined him and his family on Saturday in commemorating the sixth anniversary of the death of former President Corazon Aquino.

Binay and his son, suspended Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, sent a wreath each to Mrs. Aquino’s tomb at Manila Memorial Park in Paranaque City.

Binay issued a brief statement that was different in tone from his statements in previous years where he called Mrs. Aquino as the “beacon of the Philippine democracy.”

“Six years since her passing, President Cory continues to inspire us as we move to build a better nation where all Filipinos share the fruits of progress and government places the welfare and interest of the people above party politics and economic interests,” Binay said.

In 2009, Binay, then the mayor of Makati, was quoted as saying, “What I am today, I owe to Cory Aquino.”

After the Edsa revolution in 1986, Binay became one of Mrs. Aquino’s appointive officials. He and his family have ruled Makati for the last 29 years.

“I have made this statement several times but it needs to be repeated: President Cory inspires us to be better Filipinos and better servants of the people,” Binay said.