Graft-facing Binay vows to continue admin’s anticorruption drive

If he will be elected president in 2016, Vice President Jejomar Binay says he will build on the gains of the present administration, which he has been openly criticizing since his resignation from the Cabinet in June.

In an interview with reporters after the Wallace Business Forum at Makati Shangri-La Hotel on Thursday, Binay, who was being accused of corruption in connection with the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall Building II, said he would continue President Benigno Aquino III’s anticorruption reforms.

READ: Binay, son face graft raps | VP Binay, son Junjun face graft, plunder raps over UMak deal

“Dito sa Pilipinas, bagong hari, bagong ugali. Eh hindi ako ganoon mag-manage. ‘Yung mga mabubuting nagawa ng nakaraang administrasyon eh ipagpapatuloy natin. Isa na nga dito ‘yung laban sa korupsyon. Ito sa totoo lang,” Binay said.

While admitting that the government had been losing money due to officials’ misuse of funds, Binay said the anticorruption drive should not be aimed at persecuting and harrassing political enemies without sufficient evidence.

“Malaking pera ang nawawala sa pamahaalan dahil sa graft and corruption. Tila yata billions of pesos. Ang problema nga lamang, maganda ‘yung konsepto eh kaya lang hindi naging meaningful eh. Saka ginamit nga ito sa pananakot, sa pangha-harrass,” he said.

Binay also compared the months-long Senate probe on corruption allegations against him with the hit “KalyeSerye” segment of noontime show “Eat Bulaga”: “‘Yung binuksan ng Senado na nagpaliwananag na kami eh ang feeling ko nga doon … talo [ang] AlDub. Yung Aldub eh matatapos na siguro ‘yun, ‘yung serye ng Senado hindi matatapos.”

Other reforms

Noting that development was a “product of continued implementation of good reforms imbedded with new one,” Binay told businessmen that he would also continue the government’s public-private partnership (PPP) program “as long as the projects are above-board and will truly benefit Filipinos.”

But Binay said it was about time that the PPP be felt by ordinary Filipinos through efficient implementation and not just mere “powerpoint presentation.”

“PPP meaning gagawin. Hindi Powerpoint presentation lang. Tama na ‘yung haba ng pag-aaral,” Binay said.

As to his outline of government, the Vice President said he would appoint Cabinet members with proven track record and specialization in their respective fields.

READ: Binay paints picture of ‘presidency’: No politicians in Cabinet

“‘Yung aking mga Cabinet member wala na ‘yung learning curve, ‘yung first timer sa trabaho. Marami namang magagaling in the past na nagpapatuloy ng trabaho sa kanilang departamentong pinanggalingan. Eh ‘di ‘yun ang ating kunin—’yung proven to be successful, with integrity,” Binay said.

“Babaguhin natin ‘yung dapat baguhin, pero ‘yung maganda ipagpapatuloy natin. Hindi naman one-sided ‘yun. Sabi ko nga sa inyo, ako ay isang manager na ‘yung mga magagandang ginawa nung nakaraan eh ipagpapatuloy natin,” he added. Yuji Vincent Gonzales/RC