‘No need to prepare’: Binay vows to speak the truth in debate

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Vice President Jejomar Binay has cancelled his scheduled sorties in nearby Misamis Oriental on Saturday and is taking a break instead a day before the start of the presidential debates here.

In a text message to INQUIRER.net, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) President Toby Tiangco said Binay would take the day off to have lunch with mayors.

“VP will just have lunch with the mayors and will just relax this afternoon,” Tiangco said.

Furthermore, Binay cancelled his scheduled sortie at Laguindingan public market in Misamis Oriental as well as his rally at Barangay (village) Kauswagan here.

Tiangco said Binay had to cancel his sorties because he was only able to take a flight this morning instead of Friday night.

“The reason for the cancellation of the sortie, was because VP was supposed to take the 6:20 p.m. flight yesterday, but due to last minute changes in schedule, he had to take the 9:20 a.m. flight today. So there was no more time for the sorties this morning. Our apologies,” Tiangco said.

Binay arrived at the Laguindingan Airport before noon. Asked by reporters how he plans to prepare, the vice president said he would only tell the truth and that he does not need to prepare for the debates.

“[Totoo] lang lahat ng sasabihin. Bakit ako maghahanda?” Binay said.

(I will only tell the truth. Why do I need to prepare?)

Binay’s spokesperson Atty. Rico Quicho said the vice president’s preparations for the debate on Sunday at the Capitol University is “right on track.”

READ: Inquirer, GMA 7 to host first presidential debate

Asked whether Binay is ready to answer the corruption allegations against him over alleged kickbacks and rigging of the Makati car park building, Makati Science Highschool building, among other infrastructure projects when he was still Makati mayor, Quicho said: “Let’s cross the bridge when we get there.”

READ: What Went Before: ‘Overpriced’ Makati Science High School

“The Vice President’s preparation for the first presidential debate is right on track. He is studying the topics and directly relating it to his program of government. The Vice President is looking forward to discuss poverty with the other candidates which remains to be the moral issue of our time,” Quicho added.

“Also, the Vice President will take this opportunity to roll out his plans on how to solve poverty and programs that will uplift the lives of our peolple living in Mindanao,” he said. RAM

READ: Binay: Poverty, not corruption, is PH’s ‘moral problem’