Binay in Cebu: An absent Honasan plus cracked dentures

Ayee Macaraig

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Binay in Cebu: An absent Honasan plus cracked dentures
Tarpaulins of the Binay-Honasan tandem are seen at the Cebu sortie. But the rebel-turned-lawmaker was a no-show.

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Large banners of a smiling senator with the text: “Gringo Honasan, bise presidente” (Gringo Honasan, vice president) proclaimed what Vice President Jejomar Binay could not: his tandem with the rebel soldier-turned-lawmaker.

Tarpaulins of the Binay-Honasan tandem greeted new members of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) and reporters at the party’s Visayas-wide launch in Cebu Coliseum on Friday, October 9. Cebuano allies hailed the so-called “Bin-Go” partnership of the two opposition politicians.

Binay even shouted: “UNA na, Bin-Go pa!”

Yet Honasan skipped the event, and has not yet given any official confirmation that he accepted Binay’s offer to be the opposition leader’s running mate. His absence was another embarrassment for Binay, and caused confusion on the status of the tandem.

The elephant in the room, Honasan’s absence prompted Binay and UNA to disown the banners, pointing to local organizers as the ones who put them up.

The banners were all over the stage but Binay told reporters: “Sa dami ng tao, ‘di ko makita eh. Ang dami ng tao.” (There were so many people. I did not see the banners.)

UNA officials initially said the Binay-Honasan tandem will be announced in the party launch in the vote-rich province but no such declaration happened.

Instead, the Vice President said that the UNA selection committee will announce his running mate on Monday, the first day of filing of certificates of candidacy.

Eh basta’t Monday,” Binay said to persistent questions on his vice presidential bet. (You will just know on Monday).

Friday bloopers

The Vice President’s day in Cebu was filled with bloopers – from the absence of Honasan to the loss of the sound system in the middle of the program.

Yet the ultimate boo-boo was when he had a taste of the famous lechon (roasted pig) in the Queen City of the South, delaying his visit to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu.

He had to see a dentist first because his dentures cracked.

Binay quipped: “Nakagat ko ang balat ng lechon, natanggal ang pustiso ko. Nasarapan ako. Kaso pansamantalang nabasagan ng pustiso.” (I bit the lechon and my dentures fell. I enjoyed the lechon but my dentures cracked.) 

Binay is the last presidential candidate left without a running mate even if he was first to declare his candidacy 5 years ago. Corruption allegations and the loss of his front-runner status in surveys discouraged politicians from teaming up with him.

Yet sources close to Honasan told Rappler that “all indications” point to the senator accepting Binay’s offer. He will likely just show up with the Vice President during the filing of candidacies on Monday.

The Vice President downplayed his statement on the Bin-Go tandem: “Basta UNA rhyme na rhyme sa Bin-Go, kasi UNA number one, Bin-Go panalo.” (UNA rhymes with Bin-Go because UNA means number one while Bin-Go means you won.)

UNA in CEBU. Supporters of Vice President Jejomar Binay in Cebu. Photo by Ayee Macaraig/Rappler

Cebu as Binay country?

Other tarpaulins had another declaration: “Cebu is Binay country.”

Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama and former senator now Toledo, and Cebu Mayor Sonny Osmeña led 700 local leaders from various Visayan provinces in taking their oath as UNA members. They came from provinces including Cebu, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Negros Island, and Biliran.

Also present were Senator Nancy Binay, UNA treasurer and former Negros Oriental Representative Margarito Teves, and former Bacolod Representative Anthony Golez.

Rama’s local Partido Panaghiusa sa Panerbisyo (PPP)-Team Rama is aligning with UNA.

In introducing Binay, Rama hailed the partnership: “Daog na si Jojo Binay! Daog na si Gringo Honasan! Daog na ang Team Rama!” (Jojo Binay is a winner! Gringo Honasan is a winner! Team Rama is a winner!)

Rama shouted that everyone in Cebu was for Binay, only to be cut short when the sound system accidentally went out.

The mayor’s pronouncements will prove challenging in a region where Binay traditionally has not fared well. The Visayas is known as the bailiwick of administration standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, who hails from Capiz.

In the September Pulse Asia survey, Roxas led in the Visayas with 34%, followed by independent Senator Grace Poe with 20% and Binay with 16%. Roxas also beat Binay in Cebu province in the 2010 vice presidential race by 491,226 votes.

Rama, UNA’s regional coordinator for the Visayas, said that the difference in 2016 is his group is now allied with Binay. He said Team Rama’s internal surveys showed that Binay can actually win in both Cebu City and province but he did not detail the numbers.

“I don’t even have to think of the percent but VP is winning, and with Gringo, we have a hero, a guardian, a very amiable [man] with a good track record in public service and that will bring the whole team, Bin-Go, Bi-Hon. Our team will provide the eating, and there is a prize, Bin-Go,” Rama quipped.

In his speech, the Vice President again blasted the administration for its supposedly delayed and inefficient response to Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and the earthquake that hit Bohol and Cebu.

He also criticized Budget Secretary Florencio Abad of the ruling Liberal Party for government underspending, and lamented the poverty rate in the Visayas.

“The problem is the slow, late, and analysis by paralysis release of funds by the Department of Budget and Management led by the famous Butch Abad. We should not be surprised that the administration has a failing grade in fighting poverty, and inflation,” Binay said. – Rappler.com 

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