Binay, Honasan stay away from Edsa anniv rites, press flesh in Quezon

TIAONG, Quezon—Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen. Gregorio Honasan, two key personalities in the 1986 Edsa revolt, on Thursday were more than 100 kilometers away from the commemorative rites on the historic highway where events leading to the ouster of strongman  Ferdinand Marcos unfolded 30 years ago.

Binay, who is running for president under United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), and his running mate, Honasan, opted to stay away from the 30th commemoration of the Edsa revolt and instead spent the day campaigning in Quezon province.

“Instead of joining people and groups, most of them, if we recall, were not there in 1986, I and our next president (referring to Binay) chose to be with you today,” Honasan, who became one of the most recognizable faces of rebel soldiers comprising the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM), told residents in this town’s covered gymnasium on Thursday.

The Inquirer tried to get Binay’s explanation for his absence in the Edsa anniversary rites but he only smiled and replied: “Because I am here [in Tiaong].”

During the 29th People Power anniversary last year, Binay was told to leave the group of President Benigno Aquino III and Cabinet secretaries, who was on stage during the wreath-laying ceremony at the People Power monument in Quezon City.

But Binay told reporters not to make a controversy out of that incident.

In his speech in Tiaong on Thursday, Binay blasted the Aquino administration for its supposed failure in delivering the promises of the 1986 bloodless revolution.

Binay urged Filipinos to remember the ideals of Edsa and examine its relevance. “This is sad but I must say that the people who led us, especially this administration, have not shown any compassion for the poor,” Binay said.

He cited the unreturned multibillion-peso coconut levy fund as one of the causes of poverty of Quezon residents, mostly coconut farmers.

“Where have all the earnings of coconut plantations in this province gone? You did not enjoy the money you saved, the coconut levy, and use this to improve your lives due to poor governance. That’s the reason why many of you are poor,” he said.

The Presidential Commission on Good Government earlier estimated the coco levy assets to be worth about P83 to P73 billion in cash (representing liquidated shares from the food giant San Miguel Corp.) and P10 billion in shares of stock in the United Coconut Planters Bank and oil mills operated by the Coconut Industry Investment Fund.

Farmers in Quezon, a major coconut-producing province, are believed to be the biggest contributors to the coco levy fund. The recovered fund is expected to benefit more than 20 million coconut farmers and their families from some 21,000 coconut-producing villages across the country, reports said.

In his speech, Honasan introduced Binay as one of the pillars of the Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity and Nationalism Inc. (Mabini), a group of lawyers that included former Senators Lorenzo Tañada, Wigberto Tañada, Rene Saguisag and Joker Arroyo that fought the Marcos dictatorship.

“Even before People Power, the next president was already in the streets as a human rights lawyer defending victims of abuses,” Honasan said.

He said the ideals of Binay’s group helped lay down the foundation of RAM, the group of military rebels that launched a coup attempt against Marcos in 1986.

Binay arrived here at 10:30 a.m. with former Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, an ally of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Members of the Suarez political family in Quezon have promised to campaign for Binay and UNA candidates.

Suarez is running unopposed in the province’s third congressional district to replace his wife, Aleta.

The couple’s son, David, is seeking reelection as Quezon governor.

UNA senatorial candidates Alma Moreno, Jacel Kiram, Rey Langit, Allan Montaño and Getulio Napeñas joined Binay and Honasan in the party’s campaign activities here and in the towns of Candelaria and Sariaya and Lucena City.

Sen. Nancy Binay, the vice president’s daughter, and former Sen. Ernesto Maceda also joined the Quezon leg of UNA’s campaign.

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