Binay denies being unstatesmanlike in booing Trillanes at VP debate

WHO’S unstatesmanlike, me?

This was the reaction of Vice President Jejomar Binay when asked why he booed his harshest critic Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV during the vice presidential debate at the University of Santo Tomas on Sunday.

At the debate, loud boos rang out as Trillanes said he believed the Vice President was corrupt after the former led the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee investigation into the allegations of millions of kickbacks from graft-ridden projects when Binay was Makati mayor.

Binay was seen booing with the rest of the crowd.

READ: Binay boos Trillanes over corruption allegations in VP debate

Binay said he heckled Trillanes for spreading lies during the debates.

He praised Sen. Gringo Honasan who was calm and collected when he insisted that upholding the rule of law should be observed rather than resort to trial by publicity.

“Bakit naman magiging unstatesmanlike? Nagsisinungaling, bakit hindi ka magbu-boo? At tsaka hindi naman inaawat ng moderator ‘yong paghe-heckle. Paano naman ‘yon? Talking of statesmanlike, naku naunahan na naman ng spin,” Binay said in an interview with reporters after his campaign rally in Barangay Silang in Caloocan City.

“Wow. Spin-an [spin] na lang talaga ang labanan ngayon. Ako, hindi naman porke si Honasan ay kakampi ko, si Honasan was the most statesman, very cool,” he added.

During the debate, Trillanes denied that the Senate hearing into Binay’s alleged corrupt activities is politicized, adding that he personally believed that Binay is corrupt based on the evidence presented during the investigation.

“Hindi ako husgado. ‘Yung pagsasabi na kurap si Vice President Binay, ang basehan nun ang mga ebidensya dun sa inimbestigahan ko, na nasa karapatan ko rin sa bill of rights. I can express that, hindi ito haka haka, but based on evidence,” Trillanes said.

“Ako po ay imbestigador. Nakita ko po yung mga dokumento. At sa aking paniniwala si VP Binay po ay nangurakot and nobody can change that,” Trillanes added.

Trillanes denied the claim of his rival Sen. Bongbong Marcos that the hearing was mere politicking, adding that investigating Binay for alleged corruption was his way to express his love for the country.

“I take offense sa sinabi ni Sen. (Bongbong) Marcos na ginawa namin ‘yun sa pamumulitika lamang. Kundi namin ginawa yun si VP Binay ang presidente ng bansa. Hindi pamumulitika yun, pagmamahal sa bansa yun,” Trillanes said.

READ: Exposing Binay part of ‘moral duty,’ ‘love for country’—Trillanes 

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