‘Now you see them, now you don’t’

Presidential aspirant Vice President Jejomar Binay (2nd from left) observed Ash Wednesday at the Diocesan Shrine of Jesus in the Holy Sepulchre in Laguna with running mate Senator Gringo Honasan and ousted Laguna governor ER Ejercito. MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

It looks like a case of “now you see them, now you don’t” when it comes to the supporters of Vice President Jejomar Binay, depending on how the United Nationalist Alliance standard-bearer fares in the presidential surveys.

Before Christmas last year when Binay’s survey numbers climbed back to the top spot, Sen. Gregorio Honasan said he saw “firsthand” the return of supporters who had earlier left the Vice President when his numbers were down.

And now that the recent surveys have seen Binay’s numbers going down and there has been a revival of the corruption issues against him, Honasan said he was not sure whether these supporters would be staying or leaving.

“This is just my perception. I don’t know their reasons or motives, but when the road gets bumpy, the numbers of supporters dwindle. So those supporters whom I saw before when [Binay was up in the surveys], I don’t suddenly see them,” the senator told the Kapihan sa Senado forum Thursday.

Honasan, who is Binay’s vice presidential running mate, blamed this development on the lack of a real political party system in the country.

He said Philippine political parties tend to be based on personalities and not on platforms and programs.

“That’s why we are helping to organize UNA to be a party that for richer or  poorer, whether the road is bumpy or the survey results are good, the party will be united,” Honasan said.

Asked to explain the absence of Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada in the UNA camp considering that Estrada made up the so-called three kings of the opposition that include Binay and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, Honasan said he did not know the reason.

He said they would rather give Estrada and others the benefit of the doubt.

Meanwhile, Honasan said he believed that all candidates should raise the issue of Mamasapano, the tragic police operation that resulted in the killing of 44 elite police commandos, during the election campaign, the way UNA and Binay have been doing.

“I would suggest that everybody raise that issue—opposition, administration or independent—so that the next Congress would know how to fix the law if that is the problem,” he said.

Honasan reiterated that the main issue was why the chain of command was broken and that the question of accountability and command responsibility should be dealt with in the courts.

Asked whether corruption should also be raised in the elections the way the Liberal Party is doing, Honasan dared any candidate  to publicly declare first that they are not corrupt or that they are clean.

Honasan, who has been charged with malversation in the pork barrel scam case, said the issue of corruption should be faced and dealt with, and not politicized.