The spokesperson for Vice President Jejomar Binay said the opposition candidate only wanted to proceed to the motorcade but did not intend to snub the expectant supporters in Tondo, Manila on Sunday.
In an interview after Binay’s campaign sortie in Las Piñas City on Monday, Atty. Rico Quicho was asked about his reaction on the Inquirer story saying residents of Tondo were angered that Binay snubbed his scheduled program at the covered court shared by Barangays (villages) 152 and 153 on Sunday afternoon.
Quicho said Binay’s motorcade no longer dropped by the covered court because the camp decided to proceed to the motorcade because it would be able to visit more places and people then.
“Sana maintindihan at maunawaan din po na napagpasyahan na ipagpatuloy ang motorcade sapagkat mas maraming po tao at lugar ang maaabot ang motorcade kung magtutuloy tuloy,” Quicho said.
(I hope people will understand that the camp decided to proceed to the motorcade because such would allow reach to more people and places if it would go on.)
The Inquirer reported that Binay’s vehicle proceeded to the covered court after a visit at the Chinese General Hospital.
Although Binay’s vehicle dropped by the covered court, the vice president and his running mate Sen. Gringo Honasan no longer alighted from the vehicle, which was then already blocked by the thick crowd.
While Binay proceeded to his motorcade, United Nationalist Alliance’s (UNA) senatorial bets Alma Moreno, Jacel Kiram, Alan Montaño and Getulio Napeñas visited the covered court for a program.
The Inquirer quoted Patrick Jon Sanchez, a coordinator of Karanasan Kakayahan Komitment (KKK) para sa Bayan of Binay’s UNA in Manila as saying that many residents were angry because Binay snubbed the locals.
Sanchez alleged a sabotage by the ruling Liberal Party (LP), noting that the crowd was unruly and that the chairs for the UNA candidates were removed.
READ: Binay no-show angers Tondo folk but UNA cries ‘sabotage’
He said a LP candidate, Atong Asilo, scheduled a bingo event at the covered court.
Sanchez also blamed Barangay 153 chair Rommel Pastor de Leon, another LP member, for the suspected sabotage. While he confirmed a bingo event organized on the day of Binay’s sortie, De Leon denied the allegation.
“This wouldn’t have happened had we done this campaign stop on Hermosa (Street). That is [Binay’s] country. This place is [Roxas’] country,” Sanchez was quoted in the report, referring to LP presidential standard-bearer Mar Roxas.
Asked why Manila mayor and former President Joseph Estrada did not accompany Binay in the Tondo sortie, Quicho said UNA respects Estrada’s decision not to join the campaign rally.
Before becoming Binay’s official political party, UNA is an alliance between the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino and Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban, which fielded Estrada and Binay in the 2010 presidential and vice presidential race.
Estrada is reportedly torn between supporting Binay and Senator Grace Poe, the adopted daughter of his friend the late action star Fernando Poe Jr.
“Alam nyo po lagi po nating sinasabi na malayang po na mamili si President Estrada. Maganda po ang kanilang relasyon ni Vice President Binay. Sila po ay magkaibigan at ito pong desisyon niya pong ito ay hindi naman po makakaapekto dun po sa kanilang relasyon,” Quicho said.
(We have been saying that President Estrada is free to choose. His relation with Vice President Binay is good. They are friends and this decision won’t affect their relationship as friends.) RAM
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