PANGASINAN, Philippines – Just a few hours before the final presidential debate, Vice President Jejomar Binay renewed his challenge to his rivals to let the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) inspect their bank accounts as well as those owned by their relatives and close associates.

“Kung wala tayong itinatago, kung lahat tayo ay naniniwala na dapat ihayag natin ang lahat sa ating mga kababayan, kung lahat tayong nagsasabing pabor tayo sa freedom of information, pirmahan ninyo ang waiver. Magpapa-AMLC din kayo,” said the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard-bearer in a press briefing on Sunday, April 24.

(If you are not hiding anything, if you believe that we should say everything to our countrymen, if all of us agree with freedom of information, sign the waiver. Let the AMLC inspect your bank accounts also.)

He had previously asked the other presidential candidates to allow the AMLC to probe their accounts during the second debate in Cebu City.

The waiver was among the documents Binay wanted to bring during the program, but he was later barred from doing so due to existing rules against cheat sheets agreed upon by the debate organizers. (READ: Rule on documents: Who missed what in Cebu debate meetings)

“Kaya ngayon, sa araw ng aming pagkikitang muli, inuulit ko ang aking hamon: Pirmahan ninyo ang waiver nang magkaalaman kung sino talaga ang may tinatago sa taong-bayan,” said Binay.

(On the day we’re going to see each other again, I am repeating my dare: Sign the waiver so we know who is truly hiding something from the public.)

Other candidates, like Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and his running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as well as vice presidential bet Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, made separate dares for their opponents to sign bank secrecy waivers.

But why is Binay renewing this call when there are only 15 days left before the May 9 elections?

“O ‘yan e sa malamang na tuloy-tuloy na, so maigi na ‘yung magkaintindihan at matapos na ‘yung pagbibintang,” said Binay.

(If they sign, the inspection will continue after the elections. It’s better that we have an understanding and that the accusations would finally end.)

The Vice President is facing allegations of corruption and unexplained wealth, the subject of a more than yearlong Senate probe.

The once survey front-runner is now trailing behind Duterte and Senator Grace Poe in the latest ABS-CBN poll.

The 3 candidates, along with Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, will go head-to-head in the last presidential debate to be held at the Phinma University of Pangasinan on Sunday evening.

The debate is being organized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), ABS-CBN, Manila Bulletin, and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.

Present medical certificates, too

During the press conference, Binay once again asked his opponents to present a medical certificate proving that they are fit to run and to become the next president of the country.

“Kaya inuulit ko: sa aking mga kapwa kandidato, kung wala tayong tinatagong sakit, psychological man o physical man, magpakita din kayo ng medical certificate,” said the Vice President.

(I am repeating this: to my fellow candidates, if we are not hiding any sickness, whether it be psychological or phsyical, show your medical certificate.)

Binay said it is the voters’ right to know the true psychological, mental, and physical condition of the person they will be voting for.

“Sa dami ng problemang haharapin ng ating bansa at ng susunod na pangulo, mga problemang iiwanan ng manhid at palpak na administrasyon, dapat, dapat lamang na psychologically and mentally fit ang susunod na mamumuno ng 140 milyong Pilipino,” he said.

(With all the problems in the country to be faced by the next president, problems that will be left behind by this apathetic and failed administration, the next president should be psychologically and mentally fit to lead 140 million Filipinos.)

Two days ago, Binay challenged leading presidential bet Duterte to seek psychiatric services in Makati, where Binay was mayor for 21 years.

This comes in the wake of the tough-talking Davao City mayor’s flip-flopping apology over his controversial remarks on the rape-slay of Australian lay missionary Jacqueline Hamill.

Attacks vs Poe, Roxas, Duterte

In highlighting his experience and capability to become the next president, Binay took jabs against Poe, Roxas, and Duterte during the same press conference.

The Vice President first attacked Poe, a neophye senator, for her supposed lack of experience in public service.

“Ang kawalan ng karanasan ay magbubunsod ng isang pamunuan na hindi handang maglingkod at ‘di alam ang gagawin – palpak at manhid na serbisyo sa bayan. Tuloy na yayaman ang mga mayayaman at pagdami ng mahihirap at nagugutom,” said Binay.

(The lack of experience will lead to a leadership who is not ready to serve and who does not know what to do – failed service to the people. The rich will become richer and there will be more poor and hungry people.)

He then hits Roxas, whom the Vice President has repeatedly criticized for his supposed indecisiveness as former Interior, and Transportation and Communications secretary.

“Kailangan din ng may kakayahang mamuno o competence sa mga tamang desisyon sa mga problemang haharapin. Hindi pa teka-teka bago gumawa ng hakbang, analysis paralysis,” said Binay.

(We need someone who has the capability or competence to make the right decisions regarding problems that need to be faced. No indecisiveness, no analysis paralysis.)

Finally, the Vice President attacked Duterte for his plan to suppress crime in 3 to 6 months.

Binay has accused Duterte of being involved in extrajudicial killings in order to rid Davao City of crime, a charge which his rival already denied.

“Ngunit lalong ‘di mareresolba ang problema ng kahirapan kung ang tanging solusyon ay patayin ang mga bata at mahihirap. Hindi natin dapat payagan na magkaroon tayo ng pangulo na ‘di kumikilala ng batas at hukuman, hindi kumikilala sa karapatan, walang respeto sa mga bata, kababaihan, at sa kahalagahan ng buhay,” said Binay.

(The problem of poverty will not be resolved by killing children and the poor. We should not allow to become president someone who does not recognize the law and the courts, the rights of the people, and someone who does not respect the young, women, and the sacredness of life.) – Rappler.com