Who’s The Next President? (1st of a Series) VP JEJOMAR BINAY: WILL HE BE THE FIRST ‘BLACK’ PRESIDENT?

By Manny Pinol

Before the presidential elections of 1998, the media handlers of then Vice President Joseph “Erap” Estrada published a book titled “Eraptions” which contained anecdotes and jokes about the former movie actor, especially his supposedly broken “carabao” English.

The projection that Erap could not speak straight English is untrue, of course, but the book and the jokes contained in it helped establish the image that Joseph Estrada belonged to the poor and the unschool and he became President.

The self-disparaging jokes on Erap were so effective that today, another vice president who is coveting the presidency has employed the same strategy.

He was previously called “Rambotito” or the small Rambo because he was seen carrying a long and high-powered rifle during the 1986 EDSA Revolution which looked so large given his size and height.

Today, he is being touted as the potential first “Black President” of the Philippines, an obvious reference to his dark complexion.

Binay, who has successfully established a political dynasty in the City of Makati, is an astute politician who has worked on the dreams, aspirations and needs of the poor to succeed politically.

The “Ganito Kami sa Makati” campaign slogan in 2010 emphasized how the Binays of Makati have cared for the people of the country’s commercial district by offering free movies for senior citizens, cakes on their birthday, scholarships and free hospitalization.

But while he is loved by the poor and the middleclass in Makati City, Jojo Binay is abhorred by the rich and is accused of abusing his power and corruption.

There are rumors about Binay’s supposed ownership of many spaces in the tall and huge buildings of Makati which were yielded by the owners to facilitate their transactions, including building permits, with the city government.

These are all just stories, however, and until today, no building owner in Makati City has ever stepped forward to validate these reports by filing graft charges against Jojo Binay.

Shortly before the 2013 elections, I sat down with Jojo Binay in a casual conversation in Davao City and told him straightforwardly that if does not commit a blunder between that time and the 2016 elections, he will surely be the next President of the Philippines.

He said there was hardly any possibility that he would commit a grievous political error given his role in the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino where he handles housing and the affairs of the Overseas Filipino Workers.

Indeed, Binay is a consummate politician who knows how to ride on the desires of the poor, including visiting the wake of people he does not even know personally during his provincial sorties, and helping distressed OFWs including pleading for the life of a Filipino who was convicted of drug smuggling in China.

Up until recently, Binay was considered unbeatable in the race for the presidency but a series of blunders have raised questions on his capability to lead the country and his vision for the Philippines.

In the Zamboanga City siege, Binay received a lot of flak for announcing a “ceasefire” between the rogue MNLF elements led by his classmate Nur Misuari and the government, an announcement which was refuted later by Malacanang.

In the Bohol earthquake tragedy and in the Typhoon Yolanda calamity, Binay was again lambasted for promoting himself and his office by giving out repacked goods for the victims in bags printed with his name.

But those incidents were nothing compared to the damage done by the Dasmarinas Village-gate which involved his son, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, and his daughter, Senator Nancy Binay, where an obvious abuse of power was displayed when the mayor forced his way to the subdivision gate which was closed and later ordered the arrest of the village guards who stopped him from passing through the gate.

The great political damage actually was when Jojo Binay, instead of coming out with a “presidential” gesture of asking for an impartial investigation into the incident, came out defending his son and saying that the Makati Mayor “deserved courtesy.”

Whether the Dasmarinas Village-gate issue, his reported extra-martial affair, and accusations of corruption would hurt his presidential bid will not be known until the surveys start coming out by next year.

There is a greater issue, however, that the Filipino voters must appreciate and understand.

What is the vision of Jejomar Binay for the Philippines and for the 100 million Filipinos?

We cannot all be like the people of Makati who are happy and satisfied with the free movies, free hospitalization, free education and cakes on their birthdays.

“Ganito Kami sa Makati” the slogan could be effectively neutralized by the question “Eh, Paano Naman Kami sa Probinsya?”

With a little over two years before the presidential elections of 2016, Vice Jejomar Binay has not clearly defined his vision for the country, especially in the field of agriculture, governance, and PNoy’s crusade against corruption.

Here is an informative backgrounder on Vice President Jejomar Binay provided by the on-line free encyclopedia wikipedia.org:

Jejomar Binay, Sr. (born November 11, 1942), is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th Vice President of the Philippines since 2010.

Previously, he was Mayor of Makati City from 1986 to 1998 and again from 2001 to 2010.

He also holds the following positions: President of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), President of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), Chairman of Asia-Pacific Region Scout Committee, and the President of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines.

Education and early career

Binay studied at the Philippine Normal College Training Department, University of the PhilippinesPreparatory High School, and earned a bachelor’s of arts degree in political science from the University of the Philippines and his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from the University of the Philippines College of Law. In his collegiate stint, he also joined Alpha Phi Omega fraternity in the University of the Philippines (Eta Chapter).[6] He passed the bar exam in 1968, and took masteral subjects in public administration and law in UP and University of Santo Tomas, respectively.

In between jobs and earning degrees, Binay gave lectures and taught law, political science and public administration at the then Philippine College of Commerce (now, Polytechnic University of the Philippines), Philippine Women’s University and St. Scholastica’s College.

Binay gave free legal assistance to poor clients and victims of human rights abuses during the Marcos regime. His passion for protection of human rights developed during his student days in UP, where he was a member of the UP Student Council being University Councilor and was among the acknowledged firebrands of the burgeoning student movement.

Binay joined the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and the August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM), formed shortly after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in August 1983. He also helped found the Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity and Nationalism, Inc. (MABINI), a group of progressive lawyers that included Senators Lorenzo Tañada, Wigberto Tañada, Rene Saguisag and Joker Arroyo.

For helping political prisoners, many MABINI lawyers, including Binay, were locked up in local jails and military stockades.[7]

Political career[edit]

Mayor of Makati (1986–1998)

In February 1986, Binay became President Corazon Aquino’s first appointed local official after Nemesio I. Yabut died while in office as mayor during the EDSA Revolution.[8] He was reelected in 1987, 1992, and 1995.

Binay joined pro-democracy forces in thwarting the mutinies. His active role in the defense of the Constitution earned him the nickname “Rambotito” (or little Rambo, after the screen hero), the Outstanding Achievement Medal and a special commendation from President Aquino herself.

MMDA Chairman

During his first term as mayor, Binay was also appointed Governor of Metro Manila in 1987 and was later elected by his peers in Metro Manila as chairman of the Metro Manila Authority (precursor to the MMDA). He served from 1990 to 1992.

In 1998, Binay was appointed chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) with cabinet rank under the administration of president Joseph Estrada. He was also appointed as vice-chairman of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission and Traffic Czar for Metro Manila.

Mayor of Makati (2001–2010)

In 2001, Binay reclaimed his post as mayor of Makati, winning over actor, TV host, and then-vice mayor Edu Manzano via landslide. He won his second term in 2004 by a landslide against 1st district Councilor Oscar Ibay. He ran for his third and last term as mayor in 2007 and won again by a landslide, beating incumbent Senator and actor Lito Lapid. His margin over Lapid has been considered as the largest margin in a local election in Makati City.[7]

Suspension

In October 2006, the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued a suspension order against Binay, his vice mayor, and all members of the City Council following an accusation of ‘ghost employees’ on the city payroll by former city councilor Roberto Brillante, a political rival.[9] Refusing to cooperate with the suspension order, Binay barricaded himself inside the Makati City Hall. Among those who expressed support for Binay were former PresidentCorazon Aquino, actress Susan Roces – who is the widow of the late movie star and ex-presidential aspirant, Fernando Poe Jr. – and several Catholic bishops.[10][11] After a three-day stand-off, the Court of Appeals issued a temporary restraining order. Before it lapsed, the court issued an injunction order, thereby preventing the Office of the President from enforcing its suspension order until the case is resolved.[12]

Binay was upheld by the courts in a graft case filed by the Ombudsman over allegations of overpricing in the purchase of office furniture. The case was also filed by Brillante, who at that time was leading in Makati a Palace-supported signature campaign to amend the Constitution. The Sandiganbayan Third Division dismissed the graft case filed against Binay and his six co-accused for lack of factual basis.[13] Critics claim the suspension order was intended to distract attention from the government’s own scandals.[14]

BIR garnishment

On May 2, 2007 the Bureau of Internal Revenue(BIR) froze all the bank accounts of the city government of Makati and the personal accounts of Binay and his Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado.

The BIR issued the order after it said the city still owed the BIR P 1.1 billion in withholding taxes of city employees from 1999 to 2002. BIR revenue officer Roberto Baquiran signed and issued the warrant of garnishment against the bank accounts that belonged to Binay, his vice mayor, the city government and the city’s treasurer and accountant.

The city government protested the garnishment order, saying the city had already paid P200 million to the BIR as part of a settlement agreement agreed to by Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and former BIR chief Jose Bunag. The city also said the order was flawed, since Baquiran has no authority to issue writs of garnishment. Freezing the personal accounts of Binay and Mercado were also unlawful, they said. The city government also maintained that the freeze order would cripple city government services.[15][16]

The garnishment orders were eventually lifted by Malacañang, but not after Binay slammed the move as politically motivated and patently illegal. Business leaders also voiced concern over the adverse effects of the unprecedented BIR action on public services in the country’s financial center.[17][18]

And again, barely a week before Election Day, the Ombudsman suspended Binay based on allegations made by a local candidate allied with Malacanang. It would be revealed that the charges were supported by falsified statements. As president of the United Opposition (UNO), Binay had been very active in campaigning for the opposition bets for the Senate, and had been issuing critical statements against the Arroyo government. In a repeat of the October 2006 incident, heavily armed policemen barged into the City Hall after office hours, forcibly opening the offices and occupying the building. Binay confronted police officials and representatives of the Department of Interior and Local Government, while hundreds of supporters once again swarmed the city hall quadrangle to show their support.[19]

The suspension order generated national media attention, and prompted even administration senatorial candidates to protest publicly, saying the action further undermined their chances in the elections.[20] In the election that followed, Binay and his entire slate in the polls won by a landslide.[21] The opposition slate for the Senate eventually won by a landslide.[22]

Vice-Presidential campaign

Binay, president of the United Opposition, announced his bid for the presidency at Makati City Hall in his 66th birthday on November 11, 2008. He ran under the banner of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban). Binay’s candidacy earned words of support from former President Joseph Estrada. However, he decided to campaign for Vice President as Estrada’s running mate.

Vice-Presidency[edit]

Jejomar Binay was inaugurated as the 15th Vice-President of the Philippines on June 30, 2010. He was the first local government official to be elected vice president.

Binay also mostly representing President Noynoy Aquino in official visits to other countries, since the latter would always appoint him as his official representative, since the President is not fully fond of travel.

HUDCC Chairmanship

Binay was appointed as chairman of the Housing Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) by President Noynoy Aquino, the same position held by his predecessor, Vice-President Noli de Castro. As Presidential Adviser for OFW Concerns, Binay is also head of the Task Force OFW which helpsOverseas Filipino Workers who were maltreated by their employers to return to the Philippines at government expense.

Personal life

Binay is married to Elenita Sombillo, a doctor of medicine. She was elected Mayor of Makati in the 1998 elections, and served until 2001. Their union bore them five children:

• Maria Lourdes (“Nancy”; current Senator of the Republic of the Philippines; married to Pepito Angeles with 4 children: Pepi, Ito, Boogie, and Anya)

• Mar-Len (“Abigail”; currently serving as representative for the 2nd District of Makati City; married to Luis Campos with 1 child: Martina)

• Jejomar Erwin Jr. (“JunJun”; current mayor of Makati City; widower; with 4 children: Alexi, Maria, Jejomar III (“Jej”), and Ken Block)

• Marita Angeline (“Anne”; married to Don Alcantara with 3 children: Lian, Sache, and Don Diego)

• Joanna Marie Blanca (“JM”; with 1 child: JM)[7]

Extramarital affair

In 2010, Binay admitted to having an extramarital affair, which almost cost him his marriage to Elenita Binay. Binay complained about photos of his mistress that were leaked in the Internet, saying the tactic was a reaction to his rise in his Vice Presidential poll ratings.[23]

Civic work

Binay is also active in civic work. Besides being a member of the Rotary Club of Makati, R.I. District 3830, he is currently on his third term as the National President of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and was elected Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Committee Chairman on February 8, 2008. He also holds electoral positions in international organizations, namely: Vice President for Membership (2006–2008), United Cities and Local Governments-Asia Pacific Chapter; Life Honorary Member (since February 2001) and Member, World Executive Committee – International Union of Local Authorities-Asia Pacific; Member, Executive Committee (2006–2009), Network for Local Authorities for the Management of Human Settlement (CITYNET); and Chairman, Finance Sub-Committee, World Scout Organization. He also founded Bigay Pagmamahal Foundation Incorporated which gives scholarship to the poor students of the Philippines. He also holds the rank of colonel in the Philippine Navy Reserve Force.[24]

Higher studies

Binay took up graduate studies at the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), the Command and General Staff College (CGSC), the Center for Research and Communication (now known as the University of Asia and the Pacific), the Joint Services Command Staff College (JSCSC), and the UP School of Urban and Regional Planning. He also received a certificate from the The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania after completing the International Housing Finance Program.[25] He was senior executive fellow of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.[26]

(Note: Please post your comments and click “LIKE” if you prefer Binay to be the next Philippine President. At the end of this series we will determine who among the presidential hopefuls is the most “LIKED” by the followers of this page. Manny Pinol)