Binay welcomes possible faceoff with Erap, Duterte

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay welcomes the possibility of his facing off with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte or former president and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada in the 2016 presidential elections.

“Mayor Duterte is very qualified,” Binay said when asked for comment on the possibility of the Davao City mayor running for the highest office next year.

Duterte floated the idea during a forum on federalism in Butuan City on Thursday.

Duterte said he would definitely not steal or tolerate corruption in government if he becomes president. He also vowed to work for a shift to the federal form of government.

“I’m not that ambitious nor do I love to boast but if I will be president, after my term is over I will have federalism as the new form of government,” the Davao City mayor was quoted as saying in an Interaksyon report.

“Maybe, maybe I will get there but initially I try to say no because I’m not really interested. But the more I listen to the pain and suffering of the people... well, I still need the sign from God,” he added.

Duterte earlier balked at the idea of running for higher office despite clamor from various sectors.

On the likelihood of running against Estrada, Binay said he sees no problem with it, adding “people will have more choices.” 

A recent Supreme Court ruling on the disqualification case against Estrada has spawned speculations that the mayor would make another bid for the presidency.

But Estrada emphasized he would only take another crack at the presidency if neither Binay nor Sen. Grace Poe would challenge the administration bet.

In a radio interview in Isabela on Friday, Binay called reports on Estrada gunning for the presidency as “speculation.” He said Estrada might seek reelection because his preferred successor, Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, is eyeing a Senate or a congressional seat.

While he welcomes the idea of Estrada running in 2016 as his vice president, Binay stressed that selection of his running mate would have to go through a process.

Binay also shrugged off yesterday allegations that he pocketed almost P200 million in supposed kickbacks from a land deal between the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) and Alphaland Corp.

Speaking to reporters after the launch of a citizen’s movement for national discipline in Rizal Park, Binay vehemently denied receiving any kickback from the deal.

“The one accusing me is the person who brokered the agreement,” Binay said in Filipino, referring to former Makati vice mayor and BSP senior vice president Ernesto Mercado.

“That’s not true,” Binay said of Mercado’s accusation. “They know that they are lying.”

In a radio interview in Isabela on Friday, Binay hit back at Mercado, arguing it was the latter who may have pocketed the money.

“Maybe it was the P200 million that he spent on gambling,” Binay said in Filipino.

He also pointed out that Alphaland would not condone deals that include providing “benefits” for those brokering the agreements.

“Alphaland already stated that giving ‘benefits’ is not part of its system,” said Binay.

Both the BSP and Alphaland have denied the allegations of Mercado.

Meanwhile, Binay’s spokesman for political affairs Rico Quicho noted that even Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearing the BSP issue, has no documentary evidence to support the latest allegations against Binay.

He cited a radio interview of Pimentel in which the senator admitted that Mercado did not present any documentary evidence.

Quicho said it was unfortunate that members of the subcommittee were playing into the hands of Binay’s detractors by allowing Mercado to pin the blame for the BSP irregularity on the Vice President. Binay said he expects the attacks to continue even as the public already knows that Mercado and the other witnesses are lying.