Danding’s son lobbies for Binay at NPC meeting

FORMER Pangasinan Representative Mark Cojuangco peddled Vice President Jejomar Binay like a hot item in a meeting with the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) on Monday.

In an interview after the meeting, Cojuangco, the son of NPC Chair Emeritus Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., said his selling point about Binay is his experience in local government as Makati mayor for 20 years.

He said the meeting was a chance for Binay to explain his platform of governance.

“Nakakuha ang membership ng idea how is a Binay presidency. Like I said, ipaglalaban ko siya sa partido ko which ginawa ko today,” Cojuangco said.

He said he hoped to convince the NPC, perceived to be largely supportive of Senators Grace Poe and Francis “Chiz” Escudero as president and vice president in 2016 polls, to have an open mind.

“Sinasabi ko sa mga kasama ko bakit ako naglantad nung nakaraan na siya ang personal choice ko. Sinabi ko pagbuksan nila ang kaisipan nila at pag-isipan nila na piliin si VP Binay for President,” he added.

After the meeting that lasted two hours, Binay was cheerful when he talked with reporters.

Asked if Cojuangco lobbied for him in the meeting, Binay said the former Pangasinan congressman merely expressed his “feelings of support” for him.

“Hindi siguro lobby. Basta’t sinabi niya ang kanyang feelings of support,” Binay said.

He said he personally knows 85 to 90 percent of those who attended the meeting.

“Siguro mga 85 to 90 percent matagal ko nang kakilala,” Binay said.

He said he hoped to get the NPC’s support as the country’s second largest political party, adding that a possible alliance between NPC and his United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) would make them the coalition to beat.

“That will be the effect. Kasi kahit papaano this is the second largest political party, you can just imagine,” Binay said.

The NPC is the second largest political party in Congress next to President Aquino’s Liberal Party. It has two senators, some 40 House of Representatives members, 22 city mayors and 14 provincial governors. Marc Jayson Cayabyab