Sen. Gregorio Honasan II. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Only politics.
That was how United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) vice presidential candidate Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II reacted when asked about Cavite Governor Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla dumping UNA standard-bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay for survey frontrunner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
During the “Pandesal Forum” at the Kamuning Bakery on Monday, Honasan said he had no hard feelings that Remulla abandoned Binay for Duterte.
READ: Remullas dump Binay for Duterte
Honasan said Remulla only had his own interests in mind when he jumped ship from Binay, who failed to regain his lead in the surveys, to the surprise survey frontrunner Duterte, who led despite his open support for summary killings and lewd language.
“Let me put it in perspective. Sabi nga nila (As they say), all politics is local. Would you fault the local candidate if they decide, based on any information that will enhance their candidacy, to shift their support to somebody else? I think that’s the law of nature eh… Hindi mo dapat masamahin yun (You should not decry it),” Honasan said.
“No hard feelings… I’m a better soldier than a politician. We fight battles that need to be fought for public interest, not the battles we are sure of winning,” he added.
Honasan refuted that Binay just lost the country’s two most vote-rich provinces when he lost the alliances with their governors.
Cavite is the country’s second most vote-rich province with 1.8 million registrants for the upcoming May 9 natonal polls.
Earlier, One Cebu president and gubernatorial hopeful Winston Garcia also broke away from its alliance with UNA after a one-month partnership, accusing UNA of disloyalty and conniving with their political rivals.
READ: Garcias’ One Cebu Party dumps Binay
Cebu is the country’s most vote-rich province with 2.7 million registered voters.
“He did not lose these provinces. He lost these certain personalities… (When) you lost certain personalities, or the perceived support of certain personalities, that does not guarantee that you lost the support of the entire province,” Honasan said.
Remulla had come out in the open to declare an alliance with Duterte after having gone missing in Binay’s campaign sorties. Remulla had once served as Binay’s spokesperson.
Binay earlier said he was unfazed by the breakup with Remulla, saying that there are losses and gains in the game.
Before the falling-out, Binay had considered Remulla as his Interior Secretary in his Cabinet. RAM
READ: Oops! Binay misses out Remulla in his ‘Cabinet’
