Sen. Gregorio Honasan’s coup d’etat attempts against the late President Corazon Aquino will not be an issue in their possible teamup for the 2016 elections, according to Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER PHOTO
Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday said Sen. Gregorio Honasan’s coup d’etat attempts against the late President Corazon Aquino would not be an issue or conflict in a possible tandem between them in the 2016 elections.
“Sabi ko naman my administration will be a healing and unifying administration,” Binay told reporters at the sidelines of the Deutsche Bank Access Philippines Conference at The Peninsula Manila in Makati City.
Binay, a close ally of the former president, was appointed by Aquino as officer-in-charge of Makati in 1986.
Honasan, meanwhile, was a former soldier implicated in various coup attempts during the first Aquino administration. He was identified with one of Cory’s staunchest critics, then Marcos’ defense minister Juan Ponce Enrile.
On Aug. 28, 1987, then Lieutenant Colonel Honasan led a coup try against Aquino in at least eight places, including Camp Aguinaldo, where more than 2,000 military personnel participated and at least 50 people were killed. The most destructive coup attempt was staged in December 1989, which reportedly cost $1.5 billion worth of losses to the economy.
Calling Honasan an “organizer,” Binay also highlighted the former rebel’s participation in toppling the Marcos dictatorship during the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution. Honasan was one of the leaders of the renegade Reform the Armed Forces Movement, which played a major role in Edsa 1.
“Very qualified at kasama sa struggle sa Edsa. Hindi mo made-deny ang participation ni Senator Honasan. He is an organizer,” he said.
Binay, however, admitted that both camps were still ironing out certain political differences.
“Political constraints pero it’s water under the bridge,” he said.
On Tuesday, Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance said its selection committee had formally asked Honasan to be the Vice President’s running mate in next year’s polls, but the senator said he wanted more time to decide on the offer.
READ: UNA selects Honasan as Binay’s VP | Honasan on UNA’s offer to be Binay’s VP: I need time to decide
Binay said the official announcement would come once Honasan’s camp was done with their internal discussions.
“Ang pakiusap po huwag munang gumawa ng announcement habang nag-uusap pa ang mga kasama ni Senator Honasan,” said Binay, adding that he talked with Honasan in two instances.
Honasan, who shared that he was initially planning to retire from politics in 2019, said he needed to address an “internal personal matter” concerning his family’s “reluctance, their apprehension of what it will bring to our private lives.”
Binay said he personally wanted his tandem with Honasan to be called “BinGo” instead of “Bi-Hon,” but joked that Filipino dish “pansit” was his favorite.
“Kung sa pangalan at pangalan lang din … Pero bakit ka ba, Bi-Hon ng Bi-Hon? Bingo. Ang use ng Bingo ay panalo,” he said. “UNA na, Bingo pa.”
Asked if Bi-Hon was cooked and ready to be served to Filipinos, Binay said: “Bigyan lang ng panahon.”
UNA also eyed Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos as Binay’s running mate, but the dictator’s namesake and son said the talks failed due to a “political divide.” Yuji Vincent Gonzales/RC