Presidentiables speaking

Many  concerned citizens were glued to Lynda Jumilla’s program “Beyond Politics” on ANC last Sunday. The guests were Jejomar Binay and Mar Roxas, one of whom may be the next president of the Philippines if his fate allows.

The two are a study in contrasts. Mar was born with a silver spoon, his grandfather being former President Manuel Roxas, his father the ebullient Gerry Roxas.  Plus there remains in the minds of observers his having performed just before the 2010 elections, a  “sacrificial” act of  giving up his bid for the presidency to the current president P-Noy Aquino and instead run for vice-president, which, surprise, surprise,  was won by Jejomar Binay.

Binay, on the other hand, was born poor, and he relishes talking about  raising  pigs for a relative to support his way through school – a story that tugs at the heart and raises hopes of poverty being no obstacle to one’s becoming president.  He finished law at the University of the Philippines, practiced law and became known as a human rights lawyer. Opinion polls have shown him with the highest rating in popularity. Perhaps for that he is besieged by critics charging him with supposed corruption and plunder  when he was Makati mayor,  which Binay, with his characteristic grin,  shrugs off  as false and politically motivated.

In the interview, Mar talked about the LGUs and the national police  having satisfactorily accomplished projects like  dealing with the Zamboanga siege,  “Oplan Lambat” and  “Oplan Katok,” which netted the seizure of illegal firearms and increased police presence in neighborhoods, and “Oplan Likas,” which moved 104,000 families living in danger zones to safer grounds.

The President has made no announcement of Mar’s going to be the Liberal Party standard  bearer in the 2016 presidential election, but a couple of times during the Jumilla interview, he expressed complete trust in the president. “I am a true believer in President Aquino. I am willing to be assigned anywhere I can be of help,” he said.

Jumilla asked about the president’s emotional state, if he was weighed down by problems, lately, the threat of impeachment. Mar, cool and smiling, said he would like the President to go on beyond the six-year term. “If it were up to me, the president should stay longer in office. We’ve seen how he’s taken us.”       

Many “unscrupulous groups” are angered by the president’s reforms, like the perpetrators of customs anomalies,  but “after four years, he says, ‘Okay na ako, I’ve met my boundary.’ He does not want to leave problems to his successors, he doesn’t’ want to kick the can down the road. He is very resilient, he says the buck stops with him.”

As to his own emotional state, he said, “I can stand by my decisions, about my projects, the way they’re thought out and  carried out. He has performed his duties  to the best of his ability.”

On the Wack Wack incident, which suggested a bad temper if he became president,  by  uttering  cuss words at a golf caddy, he said he apologized for his action, “I don’t consider myself above the rules (of the organization).” He was suspended for a month, but has been reinstated as member.

He said he was not behind the filing of plunder charges against Binay.

Does he want to be president? Everybody has heard him say that. But if it is true he wants to head the nation, he should do so now. But he says, “Nakafocus ako sa trabaho.”

 He  believes in President P-Noy’s “tuwid na daan” policy.

I personally think Mar needs to consult a fashion specialist to change his image. Like a new hairstyle. He can look better than he does.

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The Jumilla show was what people have been watching out for: Vice-President Binay’s snubbing the Senate committee investigating the charges filed against him by a former ally, now his mortal enemy.  “I will not give the senators (the chance) to bully me. The Senate probe is part of a demolition job against me.” When his detractors were allowed to voice out their complaints, the probers shut down his (Binay’s) witnesses, he said.

 He said the charge of the Makati City Hall building being overpriced was “pure lies and deception.” He said expenses incurred had been cleared by the Commission on Audit. He said there was a construction plan for the building. “What building does not have a construction and architectural plan?

He admitted knowing Hilmarc Construction Corporation, which built the building, “I would be lying if I say I do not know of Hilmarc’s construction company.”  

On the charges  of  overpricing of the Makati City Hall parking building, and that he actually owned properties but had them placed in the names of “dummies,” he said, and cleared businessmen Laureano Gregorio, Tony Chua and Gerry Limlingan of involvement, the latter of whom is “a best friend.”

As to the Batangas property, he said he started the Agri-Fortuna as a  piggery, but he divested in 2010 after his election as vice president.  He went into piggery because as a young boy, he was taking care of pigs, for which he was made fun of.

Why is former Makati Vice-Mayor Ernesto Mercado so keen on getting him convicted?  The former vice-mayor, Binay said, knew about Makati city contracts, and suppliers, he was in charge of their procurement. “Magaling ako mag pasa, magdecentralize ng trabaho.”

The Binay-Mercado fall-out occurred when the mayor supposedly reneged on his promise to make him the candidate for the post in the 2010 election. Instead, he chose his son, Jun-Jun, to run, which he won. Mercado pursued his mayoralty ambition, ran under the Nacionalista banner, but lost to the younger Binay.

Binay said his wife Elenita “never trusted Mercado.” As to his supposed unexplained wealth, Binay said he had other sources of income aside from his salary as  mayor. Besides, his wife, Dr. Elenita Binay  was earning as a practicing obstetrician. “We had valid sources of income that augmented my earnings as mayor. People expected us to be poor.”

Perhaps he is dreaming, as he told Jumilla,  that he is still hopeful for endorsement of President Aquino for 2016.

He said he has announced his presidential ambition early. “I’m not a hypocrite.” Some people say they are not running, but they are bent on derailing me from running.”

 With the criticisms heaped upon him, will he not reconsider running for president? “Nothing will prevent me from running for president in 2016.”

Things are increasingly heating up as 2016 nears. The Jumilla interview is only the beginning of debates between and about  Mar and Jojo.

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If  Dabawenos had their way, they would like to see their mayor, Rodrigo Durerte, run for president in the 2016 election. I wrote about the mayor in a previous column  based on articles and comments by his admirers, including very intelligent personalities, and interviews with drivers and men on the streets, all of whom were  saying if Duterte became president of the Philippines, he will rid the country of criminal elements. Here’s a note from reader Pedro Ang.

“Dear Mam: I  read your column this morning about the Hon. Mayor of Davao City, Rodrigo  Duterte. I  would like to make a slight correction. Duterte was not the appointed O.I.C. mayor of Davao City after the EDSA revolution  in 1986.The late Zafiro Respicio  was the appointed OIC mayor and Duterte was appointed  as vice mayor.  Thank you and more power, and Merry Christmas. – Pedro Ang.”                                                                                                                            

Another reader whose name I can’t mention, texted,  “ If Duterte and his children are doing good for their city, I welcome their  type of dynasty.”

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