Jejomar Binay’s bid for Congress seat: I’m still here

MANILA, Philippines — After losing to President Duterte in the 2016 elections, former vice president Jejomar Binay is returning to politics in hopes that people will remember that “I’m still here.” 

In an interview with The Chiefs on Cignal TV’s One News, Binay also indicated he is not closing the door on seeking a higher post in 2022. 

The interview with The Chiefs is the first major TV interview of Binay, who turns 76 on Nov. 11, since losing the 2016 presidential polls. 

He is seeking a seat in the House of Representatives for Makati’s First District.

“Let’s just say I can still run for congressman so people will remember I’m still here, still serving the government as an elected official,” Binay said in English and Filipino. 

Asked if he would seek the presidency again in 2022, he did not answer directly but simply gave what looked like nods.“That is assuming that there will be no federalism or whatever,” he said. 

Binay said that he chose to run for a local position this time so that he would not be competing against his daughter Sen. Nancy Binay for a national position. 

Speaking about the 2016 polls, Binay said that the election protest of former senator Bongbong Marcos against Vice President Leni Robredo has strong basis, as he believes that they were cheated during the last elections. 

He said that Marcos won against Robredo. 

“I think he won. Even in the campaign, he won. Cheated – there is basis for the protest,” he said.

Binay defended political dynasties, saying people would not vote for members of the same family if they performed badly in governance. He noted that several families even in Metro Manila have failed to build dynasties and were rejected by voters.

He also said that the “dilawans” – a colloquial term for members of the yellow-bearing Liberal Party (LP) – had somehow betrayed him even during the 2013 polls when he was barred from using yellow shirts. 

Binay considered the incident as a “sad development” in their political careers. 

On the controversial Marcos burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, Binay said that former president Benigno Aquino III should be blamed for that as he did nothing to stop it. 

Binay said that the burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani could have been avoided if Aquino had approved his recommendation to have the dictator buried in his hometown Batac, Ilocos Norte with military honors.

Binay said he got the Marcoses to agree to the burial in Batac, but Aquino rejected this, saying the human rights groups would not agree.   

“I think what was wrong was the giving of military honors,” Binay noted. 

On other topics, Binay noted that President Duterte has his own definition of human rights. 

He added that the alleged “Red October plot” against Duterte is only a ploy to divert the public from pressing social issues, including high prices.  

But Binay believes that no one will succeed in an ouster plot against Duterte.