/ BINAY & PARTY READY TO FIGHT
MANILA, DECEMBER
29, 2011 (TRIBUNE)
By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan - Malacañang has admitted yesterday that Vice
President Jejomar Binay's senatoriable allies will not be in the
administration's senatorial slate and maintained that although he is supportive
of the administration of President Aquino, he has his own party to run in the
2013 mid-term elections.
At the same time, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda claimed at a press
briefing yesterday that Aquino was not engaged in premature politicking when he
disclosed in a television interview some names whom he wants to run as
administration senatorial candidates in 2013 and was merely citing personalities
whom he believes "will advance further the cause of reform."
Lacierda also dismissed observations that Aquino's decision to miss
mentioning senatoriables who are identified with the camp of Binay as nothing
unusual because the two leaders belong to two different political parties
anyway.
Lacierda said that although Binay is supportive of Aquino and he is "part of
the official team" the Vice President "has its own political party and he would
like also to advance his senatorial slate and that's something that is a
political reality."
"The Vice President is part of the official team. We all know that the Vice
President does not belong to the same party that the President belongs to. So
right now we are in a position — we're in a stage where we need to further the
reforms of government, and it so happens that the Vice President also believes
in the reforms advanced by the President. So there's no problem and there's no
reason why there should be a falling out. It is understandable that the Vice
President has its own political party and he would like also to advance his
senatorial slate and that's something that is a political reality. And that's
what the President mentioned," Lacierda said.
Parrying criticisms of Aquino's early politicking, Lacierda also stressed
that Aquino was merely responding to a question about his possible Senate slate
when he enumerated his choices for possible administration senatorial candidates
in the aftermath of tropical storm "Sendong" that left thousands dead and
homeless.
"It was a statement made out — response to a question. But it's not
politicking. He mentioned personalities who were previously involved or
previously were with him during the presidential campaign who ran as senators.
So it's not surprising that he will echo the same personalities he, whom he
believes in, and who may believe will advance further the cause of reform,"
Lacierda claimed.
In a television interview on Tuesday, Aquino said he wanted defeated
senatorial candidates Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, Ruffy Biazon (now Customs
commissioner), Danny Lim (now Customs intelligence head), and incumbent Sen.
Antonio Trillanes to be part of the Liberal Party (LP) slate in 2013.
The President also wants Budget Secretary Florencio Abad on the list, but the
Cabinet official declined the offer.
Abad was Aquino's campaign manager in the senatorial and presidential
campaigns in 2007 and 2010, respectively.
Asked why Aquino obviously failed to mention personalities associated with
Vice President Binay and his PDP-Laban party, Lacierda said that Aquino belongs
to the LP and, therefore, it would be unlikely that the President would be
endorsing personalities who are not his partymates.
It is no secret, however, that while Binay is supportive of the Aquino
administration, he is expected to be pitted against Transportation and
Communications Secretary Manuel Roxas II, a bosom friend of Aquino and an LP
stalwart.
Incidentally, Aquino noted in the same television interview that he is
already grooming a "successor who'll sustain reforms in government."
During an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel on Tuesday evening, Aquino said
it is important that the reforms he has initiated in the bureaucracy are
sustained in the future "so that the country doesn't go back to its previous
state."
"The point is if we are able to really transform the country. So that's the
target, that we will be successful in training our successor and the successor
is an inheritor of something that is so good that people are so used to that
system that there's no possibility of backsliding," the President said when
asked about how he views retirement in 2016.
Expressing his views over anointing a successor, the President said he always
encounters question from some community leaders asking him how these reforms are
continued after his stint as President.
EARLIER REPORT FROM PHILSTAR
Binay gears up for 'big fight' in 2013, 2016
elections BY Jose Rodel Clapano (The Philippine Star) Updated
November 12, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (0)
MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay is preparing his
PDP-Laban (Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino- for a "big fight" in the 2013 and
2016 elections.
Binay, who turned 69 yesterday, made the call to PDP-Laban members and
officials during the political party's 29th merger anniversary at the Golden Bay
restaurant along Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City.
"I want to see a party that are not intimidated," he said. "We will be a
party that will fight. Don't worry. I hope you will make your body and soul
strong because we are preparing for a good fight."
Binay, former President Joseph Estrada's running mate in the May 2010
elections, quoted late senator Blas Ople, as saying that members of PDP-Laban
can fill a Volkswagen.
"Our party, we are no longer naïve," he said.
"We don't have an inferiority complex anymore because we now have a vice
president and a senator. We now have the power. We will win. Let's not forget
our party, learn from the lessons in the past, avoid our mistakes and we will
surely reach our goals," he said.
Binay, national chairman of PDP-Laban, said the emerging political party will
no longer be stopped on the way to 2013 and 2016.
"This will be continuing," he said.
"This will be the new chapter of our party. For the first time, our party now
have a senator and a vice president. In the past, most of our members are only
elected mayors and governors. Now we have two national leaders."
Binay said through a united PDP-Laban, they will reach their goals.
"We will now solidify our party once and for all," he said. "We will be all
out. Our party will be giving a good fight in the coming political activity. As
I say, it will be the leading party.
"Together, the party and myself, will become the leaders in the coming
elections, not only in 2013 but also in 2016."
Binay, who has earlier confirmed his intention to run for president in 2016,
said prior to his victory as vice president the survey results showed that his
vice presidential rival has 64 percent while he only had two percent.
"When the second survey result was released, I got four percent and I said
that I got 100 percent increase," he said.
"During the third survey, I got eight percent, then I said that I got another
100 percent increase. But at the end of the day, I won in the vice presidential
elections."
The brass band played the presidential hymn "Mabuhay" after Binay ended his
speech.
As part of the PDP-Laban's 29th merger anniversary, party officials launched
a book entitled "PDP-Laban 1982-2012 Thirty" which is a compilation of the
PDP-Laban's activities from its founding year (1982) including the fight against
the Marcos dictatorship to the present.
The book also includes the photos of the tragic death of Sen. Benigno Aquino
Jr. at the tarmac of the Manila International Airport (MIA), which is now named
after him.
"Cheers to victory in 2013, cheers to victory in 2016," said Joey de Venecia,
PDP-Laban's secretary-general.
De Venecia said PDP-Laban is turning three decades (30 years old) next year
"still standing and strong."
He said the PDP-Laban is also launching a Ninoy Aquino-inspired search for
new heroes of the country dubbed as the "Bagong Pilipino awards."
"We are beginning our search for new heroes, in the person of simple people,
to prove to the world that the Filipinos are pound for pound," he said.
"Ninoy's words inspire us to fight tyranny. The PDP-Laban was at the
forefront of that fight, in the fight against tyranny and for democracy that we
lost during the martial law regime. We are the people's weapon against tyranny."
The search for new heroes will end on April 20, 2012 where the awarding will
follow.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2011 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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rights reserved
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