Binay, Honasan: Voters will decide on corruption claims

Ayee Macaraig

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Binay, Honasan: Voters will decide on corruption claims

Alecs Ongcal

Vice President Binay refuses to disclose details on when UNA's senatorial slate will be finalized. The filing of candidacies is until October 16.

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay and running mate Senator Gregorio Honasan II formally launched their candidacies, saying the people will decide on corruption allegations against them.

Binay and Honasan of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) filed their candidacies for president and vice president, respectively, at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Manila on Monday, October 12, past 8 am. 

WATCH: Filing of certificates of candidacy

Appearing publicly together for the first time since sealing their tandem, the opposition candidates first visited the San Agustin Church in Manila. There, they dismissed the corruption complaints pending against them before the Ombudsman.

“That has to be proven through due process, applying the rule of law, innocent until proven guilty. That applies to the highest official of the land. If it applies to the highest official of the land, it should apply to the lowest citizen of the republic,” Honasan told Rappler.

The senator told reporters the Ombudsman will determine the merits of the graft complaint filed against him over the pork barrel corruption scam.

“I trust in the fairness of the judicial system until proven otherwise,” he said.

FIRST TO FILE. Presidential wannabe Jejomar Binay at the Comelec with his son, dismissed Makati Mayor Junjun Binay. Photo by Czeasar Dancel/Rappler

The justice department filed a graft complaint against the senator before the Ombudsman in August for allegedly pocketing P1.75 million ($37,666) in development funds for the poor, supposedly funneled to bogus non-governmental organizations.

Binay and Honasan are pressed to address corruption claims, with the Vice President facing a controversy that brought down his popularity. Binay is accused of earning kickbacks from allegedly overpriced Makati infrastructure projects.

Still, Honasan said the partnership will focus on the UNA platform.

“Our platform is to fight poverty, ensure security, jobs for all, to ensure that people can go home at the soonest possible time: our overseas Filipino workers can come home, our soldiers and policemen can come home, our laborers and farmers can come home to a united, peaceful, and progressive country,” Honasan said.

A former rebel soldier and coup plotter, Honasan said security is the primary issue his candidacy will push for.

Lost allies, Senate slate

Honasan’s decision relieved Binay, who was the last presidential bet to secure a tandem. Up until the last minute, it was unclear if Binay was running on his own.

With Honasan by his side, the Vice President said: “Tuloy na, tuloy na tuloy na ang katabi ko, UNA na, Bin-Go pa, si Senator Gringo Honasan.” (This is really pushing through. We’re already first, and we’ll even win. Here is Senator Gringo Honasan.)

Binay and Honasan though refused to respond to questions about their allies’ endorsement of vice presidential bet Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Over the weekend, former President Joseph Estrada and Senator Juan Ponce Enrile raised Marcos’ hands in his proclamation rally.

Estrada and Enrile are old allies of Binay and Honasan. Enrile is even Honasan’s mentor, former boss, and a man he treats as a father. (READ: 9 things to know about Gringo Honasan)

Honasan simply said: “I have no information to that effect.”

Binay refused to disclose details on when UNA’s senatorial slate will be finalized. The filing of candidacies is until October 16.

“Let’s just wait for the senatorial slate but we will have candidates.”

The Binay-Honasan team carries the banner of the opposition, going up against ruling Liberal Party bets former interior secretary Manuel Roxas II and Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo. Also in tandem are independent senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero.

Those vying for vice president as independent candidates are Senators Antonio Trillanes IV, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, and Alan Peter Cayetano.

DAUGHTER WAS DECIDING FACTOR. Senator Gregorio Honasan finally agrees to be the running mate of Binay. Photo by Alecs Ongcal/Rappler

Daughter was deciding factor

Honasan’s appearance at the church was the first official confirmation that he accepted Binay’s offer to be his running mate.

The lawmaker had only a week to decide on the offer as the party chose him at the last minute when Marcos declined to run with Binay.

Honasan said the consent of his family, particularly daughter Kai, was the deciding factor that made him say yes.

Ang pinilit ko ay ang pamilya ko. Sabi nga ng anak ko: ‘Papa, ipinanganak ako, wala ka, Bininyagan ako, wala ka. Nag-graduate ako ng high school wala ka. Nag-18 years old ako wala ka. Ngayong marami kang atraso at malapit na kitang patawarin, malapit na tayong maging friend, sasabihin mo magpapaalam na naman ikaw para umalis sa piling namin.” (I had to force my family. My daughter said: ‘Dad, when I was born, you were not there. When I was baptied, you were not there. When I graduated from high school, you were not there. When I turned 18, you were not there. Now you have a lot of things you have to make up for and I am about to forgive you, we are about to be friends, and then you ask permission to leave us again.)

Honasan was referring to the years he went underground when he mounted coup attempts against the Cory Aquino presidency.

Yet Honasan said his family understood that he had to run with Binay.

“This is a sense of duty. I’m a good soldier. I am a result of a process the party went through so I will follow the party I am helping organize, the UNA.” – Rappler.com 

 

WATCH: Who filed their certificates of candidacy, October 12

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