CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay is hoping that today’s presidential debates would be a discussion of each candidates’ platform of governance and not a mudslinging.
In an interview Saturday night, Binay’s daughter Sen. Nancy Binay said she hopes this platform-driven debate would set the tone for the conduct of the campaign.
“Sana this will set the tone of the campaign. Na it’s not about siraan, It’s about kung ano ang palisiya na gagawin mo, ano yung programa na gagawin mo. Yun ang dapat pagusapan, hindi yung puro siraan,” Binay said.
The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) spokesperson Mon Ilagan said the Vice President is armed like a soldier to clash head on with issues which may be hurled against him.
He also said the Vice President also did not leave any stones unturned in preparing for any issues at hand, whether that be climate change, economy, peace and order, agriculture, among others.
“Parang isang sundalo na pupunta sa giyera, na kailangan paghandaan mo ang lahat. He has to throw the punches kung kinakailangan,” Ilagan said in the same press briefing.
Ilagan said Binay also feels excited that finally he would be able to appear with all the presidential candidates on stage to deliver his platform of governance and rebut on issues and allegations.
“Excited siya, at least for the first time makikita nila ng personal, sasagot sa mga policies,” Ilagan said.
Binay’s daughter said she hoped the debates later would go beyond personality politics and would become issue-based instead.
She said when the vice president wins, he would issue an executive order to implement the freedom of information, but this won’t be used to crack down on his opponents who led the mudslinging of corruption allegations against Binay.
“It’s not all about perception. It will also be about ano ba yung ebidensiya na pinaghahawakan,” Binay said.
Vice President Binay was indicted by the Ombudsman for malversation, graft and falsification of public documents for the alleged rigging of the procurement for the design and construction of the P2.2 billion Makati car park building when he was mayor.
He was indicted with his son dismissed Makati mayor Junjun, who on Friday was formally charged before the Sandiganbayan for graft and falsification of public documents.
Sen. Nancy said her father was unfazed despite his son being charged and his facing criminal charges.
“It’s not an issue for us anymore. Namanhid na ata kami eh. Ang focus namin ngayon talaga, paano kami makakatulong sa ating mga kababayan,” she said.
She said the vice president’s resolve to win the elections remained the same, even though the Ombudsman threatened that it would file the criminal charges after the vice president’s term when his immunity expires.
But her father certainly is making more effort to campaign than when he did in 2010 when he won the vice presidency.
“Walang bearing yun sa determination niya to win eh. Ever since sinabi niya na I am runnig for president, yung determination niya to win nandun na un eh… Itong pagtakbo niya ngayon compared sa 2010, I think ‘yung effort niya doble pa nung ginawa niya noong 2010,” Sen. Binay sad.
Vice President Binay was also recommended to be charged for plunder by the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee which investigated the alleged kickbacks for Binay from graft-ridden infrastructure projects when he was mayor.
Binay has decried politics in a bid to derail his presidential bid, calling the Senate investigation a political inquisition.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer is set to moderate the PiliPinas Commission on Elections presidential debate here in Mindanao with its partner GMA-7. TVJ
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