Binay: Roxas resignation just an act; he could be after me

Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Vice President Jejomar Binay said he fears that Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II might use his position against him if he continues to stay in his post even after he declared his presidential bid for 2016.

“Nangangamba (I’m afraid),” Binay said when asked in an interview over ABS-CBN’s morning show, “Umagang Kay Ganda” if he was afraid that Roxas would use the position against him.

“Kasinungalingan ‘yon. Sabi nga namin, tell it to the marines. Maniniwala ka ba sa sinabi ni Pangulo na hindi niya gagamitin ang government resources? Walang naniniwala sa mga ganyang salita,” he added.

(That’s a lie. Like what we said, tell it to the marines. Would you believe the President when he says he won’t use government resources? Nobody believes those kinds of statements.)

Roxas tendered his resignation shortly after he declared his presidential bid last Friday but President Benigno Aquino III requested him to stay a little longer as there are still tasks that have yet to be completed.

READ: Roxas formally resigns as DILG secretary

Binay dismissed Roxas’ resignation and the President’s refusal to accept it as nothing but an act.

“Yan ang mga drama. Drama ‘yon. Para bang [noong] nag-resign si Secretary Abad. Wow. Ang sabi tatapusin ang dapat tapusin. Wala atang deadline ‘yon,” he said, referring to the President’s request for Roxas to stay a little longer.

(That’s just an act. It’s just like when Secretary Abad offered to resign. Wow. They said they would just finish what needs to be done. But I think it has no deadline.)

Abad is Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, who tendered his resignation last July 11 over the Disbursement Acceleration Program controversy. But the President was also quick to reject the resignation.

READ: Binay: Aquino should’ve accepted Abad resignation

Binay said this was one of those instances where he did not applaud Aquino when he announced during a Cabinet meeting that he did not accept Abad’s resignation.

He said this was contrary to his critics’ claim that he applauded for five years what he now criticizes as inept—the administration of Aquino.

“Uulitin ko po ha? ‘Yong pong si Secretary Abad, maang-maangang magre-resign pero alam naman na hindi tatanggapin. Inanunsiyo ni Pangulong Aquino na hindi n’ya tinatanggap. Silang lahat ay nagpalakpakan. Hindi ako pumalakpak,” he said.

(I’ll just repeat. Secretary Abad pretended to offer his resignation but we all know that it would not be accepted. The President announced that he refused the resignation. Everyone applauded. I did not.)

“Basta’t mali, hindi ako pumapalakpak. ‘Pag tama, pumapalakpak po ako. Team player naman po ako,” he further said.

(If it’s wrong, I don’t applaud. If it’s right, I applaud. I am, after all, a team player.) IDL

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