Binay: I know ‘truth’ about Noynoy Aquino

President Benigno Aquino III (right) and Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Vice President Jejomar Binay turned cryptic on Monday saying he knew the “truth” about President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III after the Chief Executive said that the Vice President was not the same person 30 years ago.

“Sa mga pangyayari, eh totoo ang aking nalalaman kung sino si Noynoy (With the turn of events, I know the truth about who Noynoy really is,” Binay said Monday in an exclusive interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM.

The Vice President did not elaborate saying he wanted his reaction to be as “broad” as the statement of the President.

On Friday, April 8, Aquino told a Liberal Party rally in Makati City about the Binay that he knew 30 years ago.

“And that time, I really became close to him because he put our welfare first before his. That was 30 years ago,” the President told the crowd from Binay’s bailiwick.

“It was clear to him (Binay) that it was others first before himself… It is true that we counted on each other. We were against the dictatorship and we were ready to sacrifice our lives for our fellow men. That was how we had a deep relationship,” Aquino said.

“It was very clear during those days who Jejomar Binay was. Today, my question is: ‘Where has the Jejomar Binay I knew before gone?’” he added.

READ: Aquino: He’s no longer the Jejomar Binay I knew

Binay said the statement of Aquino, a family friend, was too general for him to make a specific reaction, so he also gave a general statement.

The Vice President said Aquino might have been referring to his attitude now that he had become an opposition figure criticizing the presidency of Aquino.

“Nag-iba na ba si Jojo Binay? Pwede rin namang lalong umitim si Jojo dahil sa ‘Nognog’ ako, (Has Jojo Binay changed? It could be that my complexion became darker because I am a ‘Nognog’)” Binay said.

“Ano ba ang pinagbago sa pagtantiya ng presidente sa akin? Nasa pag-uugali ba, (dahil) ngayon binabatikos ko siya? Walang personalan sa batikos (What change has the president seen in me? Is it my attitude now that I criticize him? There’s nothing personal in the criticism),” Binay said.

The Vice President surmised that Aquino could have been disappointed with the turnout of the LP’s rally at the Makati Coliseum, which was attended by a “hakot” crowd of about 3,000 Makati residents.

Many in attendance were conditional cash transfer program beneficiaries, persons with disabilities, and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

“Ewan ko kung natuwa siya sa napuntahan niya. Mabibilang mo kung ilan ang pumunta kahit na hinakot pa sila (I don’t know if he was happy with the affair. You could count those who came even if they were bussed in),” Binay said.

Binay and Aquino have a shared family history dating back to the February 1986 Edsa People Power uprising.

READ: Candidates on Edsa 30 years ago: Binay

Binay, then a human rights lawyer for martial law victims, was an avid supporter of Aquino’s mother Corazon “Cory” Aquino. He supported Cory during the snap elections and even participated in the people power uprising that toppled the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos which paved the way for her presidency.

On the first day of the people power revolt, Binay accompanied Aquino’s son Noynoy around Makati to thank residents for voting for Cory in the snap elections.

Over the radio, they heard that then-Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and then-Philippine Constabulary chief Fidel Ramos had broken from Marcos and were holed up in Camp Crame.

They called up Cory, who was then in Cebu. She told Noynoy to bring his sisters to a relative’s house in Wack Wack.

Binay then accompanied Noynoy to the Aquino residence on Times Street before proceeding to EDSA.

After the Marcoses fled, it was Binay who fetched Cory and brought her to the Club Filipino in San Juan for her proclamation as the newly elected president.

Cory would later appoint Binay as officer-in-charge of Makati after the People Power revolt.

Binay would later become the vice president under Aquino after the 2010 elections despite their running under separate parties.

When Binay resigned from the Cabinet in 2015 to assume the figure of the opposition, Binay became Aquino’s harshest critic. Binay branded Cory’s son as ineffective, insensitive, and bumbling.

The Vice President is promising a better and more compassionate administration under his watch.

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