Binay viral cash-giving video defended

TANAUAN, Batangas, Philippines – A video that has gone viral showing Vice President Jejomar Binay distributing cash to supporters was taken on Christmas Day several years ago, according to his daughter Sen. Nancy Binay.

She said it has been the tradition of the family to visit relatives every year and those visiting the Binays are also given Christmas gifts.

“That video was way back, maybe it was taken in 2010 or 2011,” the senator told reporters during the campaign sortie of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) here yesterday.

The younger Binay expressed disappointment over the release of the video, which she said is being used to discredit her father, who is running for president in the upcoming elections.

The video, released earlier this week, showed the Vice President sitting behind a table and distributing money to dozens of people forming a beeline.

It was viewed over three million times and has been shared over 100,000 times as of yesterday.

The senator said it was a common scene outside their house in Makati during Christmas, as people often visit the Vice President to greet him during the holidays.

“It should have been taken in the proper context. It was Christmas Day. The people regard him as a godfather,” she said. “It is a Filipino tradition to ask gifts from your godfather during Christmas.”

She said the money distributed was only P20 or P50 each and it came from their own pocket.

From serious allegations of corruption to jokes about their dark skin color, the Binays are a favorite target of critics and their political enemies.

On the Internet, various memes have poked fun at the Vice President.

Senator Binay, who herself became a target of such posts when she ran in 2013, said they have become used to such attacks.

“On our part, we will take the campaign to a higher level,” she said.

“The Vice President will just talk about his plans and the programs for our people. We will not engage in negative campaigning,” added the senator.