CLARK, Pampanga – Vice President Jejomar Binay on Monday said he is confident he would win the presidential race in Pampanga now that he has the backing of the political party of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
In an interview after his campaign sortie at the Foton Manufacturing Plant here, Binay said that he has fulfilled his promise of helping Pampanga residents, especially the victims of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo explosion who obtained titles of land for housing.
In the 2010 elections, then vice presidential candidate Binay lost in Pampanga, getting 220,357 votes as opposed to the Liberal Party bet Mar Roxas’ 413,016 votes.
“Kumbinsido ako… Talo ako sa Pampanga noong 2010… Pero ngayon.. sobra sobra ang bawi. Nakita naman nila sa Pampanga na buo ang aking pinangako. Dito sa Pampanga, ang dami kong tinulungan na mga titulo sa biktima ng Pinatubo, ang tabi kong tinulungang titulo sa housing,” Binay said.
Asked about Arroyo’s marching orders for Pampanga local officials to endorse Binay, the vice president said he has the backing of Arroyo’s Lakas political party.
“Basta ang alam ko, Lakas will support me,” Binay said.
Arroyo, a native of Pampanga, is under hospital detention for plunder for allegedly using P366 million in intelligence funds for the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) from 2008 to 2010 for personal gain.
Binay is a staunch critic of Arroyo when the latter was president. In what was seen as a politically motivated move, Binay was ordered suspended by Arroyo in 2006 for alleged ghost employees on the Makati City payroll.
In August 2015, Binay crossed paths with Arroyo in what was believed to be a reconciliatory moment during the wake of the former president’s brother, Arturo Macapagal, who died of prostate cancer.