House chides Binay for mixing rehabilitation with politics

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and other leaders of the House of Representatives chided Vice President Jejomar Binay yesterday for mixing the reconstruction of typhoon-ravaged communities with 2016 presidential politics.

“We should avoid reading 2016 in our leaders’ actions and concentrate on rebuilding the lives of our people,” Belmonte said.

He was reacting to Binay’s statement that former senator Panfilo Lacson, who has accepted President Aquino’s offer to lead the rehabilitation of typhoon-devastated areas, would be a welcome opponent in the next presidential election.

“As for me, I have already declared right after the 2010 elections that, yes, I will be a candidate (for president),” Binay said.

Two colleagues of Belmonte echoed his appeal to the vice president.

“I think it is too early to talk about the 2016 presidential elections. All politicians should set aside their political plans right now and should focus their efforts and resources on addressing the immediate recovery of our country from the problems caused by the various calamities,” Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of Dasmariñas City in Cavite said.

He said Binay’s statement left a bad taste in the mouth and was like the Vice President’s call for a ceasefire in Zamboanga City when soldiers were driving disgruntled Moro National Liberation Front rebels out of the villages they had occupied.

He noted that city residents did not like Binay’s ceasefire proposal and even called him names.

For his part, Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo said the Vice President should set aside his obsession to become Malacañang’s occupant.

“Our leaders should single-mindedly focus on the rehabilitation of areas devastated by calamities, natural or manmade. Any statement about politics at this time is counterproductive. Let’s think about the welfare of our people first,” he said.

He said those who are not being asked to help should just shut up.

Binay was criticized in the immediate aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda when he distributed relief packs with his name on them. The relief goods were reportedly packed at the National Housing Authority, one of the housing agencies under Binay.

He later said his friends put his name on the relief packs.

He visited some areas hit by the typhoon while Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin were attending to the needs of typhoon victims in Samar-Leyte.

It is widely believed that Roxas would be the administration’s candidate for president in 2016.     

Early this month, President Aquino said it is too early to tell who would be the Liberal Party’s standard bearer in 2016.

He also refused to give in to observations that he was “grooming” Roxas.  â€“ With Delon Porcalla