VICE President Jejomar Binay resigned from his Cabinet posts Monday afternoon. Did he finally have enough of the corruption claims against him or did he do so because it was the right time?
No reason was given for Binay’s decision, but his leaving the Cabinet came at a time when one polling body gave him the rating of the most trusted top government official.
Binay’s critics had expected him to resign months ago or last year at the height of corruption allegations and arrest warrants either against him or his son, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. No, he did not leave his Cabinet posts, at that time. He did so only after a survey result gave a good picture of him.
Binay has left the official family of President Benigno Aquino III, his camp said in a statement on Monday. Binay's spokesperson Joey Salgado said Makati City Rep. Abigail Binay personally delivered to Malacañang her father’s resignation letter. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. received the letter at 3:55 p.m. Monday. No reason was given in the letter.
Binay held the Cabinet positions of Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers’ Concerns and chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.
The Vice President failed to make it to a special Cabinet meeting called by Aquino last Thursday to discuss the reconstruction of houses in Eastern Visayas that was devastated by Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013. Binay was visiting public markets in Rizal province. His absence was indication he would be leaving the Cabinet soon, reports said.
The resignation came Monday, on the same day the Pulse Asia released results of its latest survey that showed Binay to be the most trusted top government official with a trust rating of 57 percent, 15 points higher than his 42 percent trust rating in March. Binay also had the highest approval rating at 58 percent.
The survey was conducted from May 30 to June 5 when the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee was investigating the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall Building II, and when the Court of Appeals granted a petition to freeze the bank accounts of the Vice President; his wife Elenita, former Makati City mayor; and their son, the incumbent mayor.
The poll results, Binay’s camp said, highlighted the people’s appreciation of his hard work and dedication to public service. “More importantly, it highlights that attacking the Vice President does not make his political opponents prepared for the job of the presidency.”
Binay is being groomed as the United Nationalist Alliance bet in the presidential contest next year. The Liberal Party is considering Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas for the race.
Resigning his Cabinet positions didn’t look like Binay was making the ultimate sacrifice. It didn’t appear he was leaving the Cabinet out of protest to government abuses. Past leaders have given up their posts to make a point.
Binay could have resigned in 2014 or months ago to dramatize his disapproval of corruption investigations against him and his family. He waited until he could recover his approval and trust ratings.
His resignation was a political move, a self-serving change that would benefit only him.
(ninicab@sunstar.com.ph)