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Vice President Jejomar Binay said the fresh attacks against him and his family won’t stop him from pursuing the presidency in 2016. He also warned that it would be risky to entrust the country to a person without experience and competence.
“I sincerely believe that the issue in this coming election — for the presidency particularly — is experience and competence. Mahirap na. We have undergone and still undergoing so many things that could not have been serious problems were it not for the fact that one does not have experience and competence,” said Binay, who went around public markets in Cagayan de Oro on Sun, May 17.
Binay’s critics are expected to present more “exposés” against the Vice President in the coming weeks. A Senate sub-committee is already on its 20th hearing on the alleged corruption in Makati, where Binay’s family reigns.
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV earlier tagged the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report on Binay’s accounts as the nail in the coffin of Binay’s presidential dreams.
Binay, however, had accused AMLC of conniving with his critics as a means to persecute him.
Binay said there is no need to waive bank secrecy laws in connection with the issue since “the AMLC has already opened and frozen all my bank accounts and insurance policies, including those of my wife, son, and several friends and associates. This act was done even before a complaint filed against me has been resolved by the Ombudsman and decided with finality by the courts. Further, in violation of the AMLA law, this has been deliberately leaked to the media and widely publicized in all fanfare and screaming headlines.”
Binay’s spokesperson for political affairs, Rico Quicho, said the leaked “one-sided report” is “the start of their last ditch efforts to malign the Vice President” as the survey season draws near.
“The Vice President’s political detractors are clearly capitalizing on trial by publicity through fishing of evidence and shame campaign,” he said.
Based on information they got, Quicho said the issue on the Rosario, Batangas, property will be revived again soon.
“As we enter the survey season, we expect within the next few weeks the NBI and DOJ [Department of Justice] to resurrect the Rosario property issue despite clear statements and evidence showing Tony Tiu’s company as its owner. We also expect the Ombudsman to press its obsession to suspend Mayor Jun Binay despite the clear absence of factual and legal basis,” Quicho said.
“Regardless, the Vice President is steadfast to protect his rights under the rule of law and pursue actions to vindicate the wrong done so he can continue his fight to uplift the lives of our people,” he added.
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
Photo: Jojo Binay’s Facebook page
