Manila: Philippines Vice-President Jejomar Binay relaunched “with a show of force” his two-year-old UNA party in preparation for the 2016 presidential elections.
The move comes as corruption charges have been revived against Binay by the government of President Benigno Aquino.
Binay’s candidacy will be officially announced ahead of, or immediately after, the last State of the Nation Address (Sona) by President Benigno Aquino on July 26.
Aquino is expected to announce Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas as the chosen presidential candidate of the ruling Liberal Party, UNA interim president Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco said.
In a campaign-like speech at UNA’s relaunch in Makati City late Wednesday night, Binay underlined the importance of electing an “experienced, efficient, intelligent, sincere, and pro-poor president”.
As president, he promised “wide social inclusion of government’s basic services, economic dynamism, effective and caring governance”.
Not skipping a chance to criticise President Aquino and the presidential candidate he will endorse, Binay said, “UNA is not an association of failed, callous, and lazy leaders, not of [administrators that are like] cats and turtles who are fond of saying, wait a minute.”
Listing more alleged shortfalls of Aquino, Binay said, “For the past five years people have had no jobs, poor people have no food to eat, the sick have no hospitals, children have no schools, crimes are rampantly committed, illegal drugs proliferate and there is no sign of a government.”
Meanwhile, Binay’s ally, former president Joseph Estrada, now mayor of Manila, did not attend UNA’s launch, a sign that the kingmaker with a sway vote and loyal followers is half-hearted in endorsing Binay, analysts said.
“Vice-President Binay is the presidential candidate of the opposition. In case he is barred from running because he is facing a lot of plunder cases, I will be the one to run as president of the opposition,” Estrada said.
It was the first time that he formally announced this plan.
Estrada, head of Force of Filipino Masses (PMP) and Binay, head of Party of Democratic Filipinos (PDP Laban), formed UNA during the senatorial elections in 2013.
He and Binay ran as president and vice-president in 2010. At the time, Roxas who ran as Aquino’s vice-president lost to Binay.
Up to now, the respective vice-presidential candidates of Binay and Roxas are not yet known.
Senator Grace Poe and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte have been topping popularity surveys for vice presidential candidates.