Binay cuts short Ilocos trip to prepare for 2nd presidential debate

Vice President Jejomar Binay is accompanied by Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Singson (second from the left) and Vigan Mayor Eva Marie Medina (right of Binay) during the presidential candidate’s campaign rally in Vigan City Tuesday night. PHOTO BY MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB/INQUIRER.net

VIGAN, Ilocos Sur—Vice President Jejomar Binay on Tuesday cut short his Ilocos trip to prepare for the next presidential debate on Sunday in Cebu.

Binay was supposed to visit Ilocos Norte on Thursday.

United Nationalist Alliance communications director Joey Salgado said Binay had to return to Manila Wednesday afternoon to meet with his campaign team for a briefing on the changes in the format of the second presidential debate on Sunday to be held at the University of the Philippines Cebu.

“The campaign team asked for a meeting. They wanted to update the vice president on changes in the debate format,” Salgado said.

Binay on Wednesday morning held a motorcade in Vigan, San Ildefonso, Santo Domingo, Magsingan, San Juan, Cabugao and Sinait.

The vice president stopped for a brief prayer at the El Santo Cristo Milagroso in Sinait by noon.

During the motorcade, he was accompanied by Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Singson, who said that he has yet to discuss with the local government and his party whether or not he would support Binay’s presidential bid.

Meanwhile, Ilocos Sur Rep. Eric Singson, the cousin of former Ilocos Sur governor Chavit Singson (who is incumbent Governor Ryan Singson’s father) has expressed support for the Liberal Party tandem of former Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and Camarines Sur Rep. Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo.

On Tuesday night, Binay held a campaign rally in Vigan City where he was accompanied by Governor Singson and Vigan Mayor Eva Marie Medina (Ryan’s cousin and the daughter of Chavit’s brother Evaristo Singson).

The Singsons have long dominated Ilocos Sur as a political dynasty dating far back in the 1800s when their patriarch Don Leon Singson was gobernadorcillo. RAM

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