Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay thinks he has an edge over the president’s “anointed one” — Interior Sec. Manuel Roxas II — in terms of competence and experience.
“Wasn’t he with the DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) before?” the vice president said in Filipino. “The LRT is leaking, decaying.”
Roxas was appointed as the Transportation secretary by Pres. Benigno Aquino III until 2012, when he was assigned as the chief of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Binay also pointed out that he was able to beat Roxas before. The two were rivals for the vice presidency in the 2010 elections.
Related: VP Binay: Roxas not a threat
LP’s ‘anointed one’
On Friday (July 31), Aquino endorsed Roxas as the LP standard bearer in the 2016 elections. Aquino said that the event held at Club Filipino was to ensure the continuity of the “Daang Matuwid,” his administration’s campaign against corruption.
Related: Aquino endorses Roxas: ‘No one else but Mar’
Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza, who attended the “Barangay Ko Alerto” program in Imus, Cavite with the vice president, however, tagged it as an event of a rich political party.
“Nasa Club Filipino ang partido ng mayayaman. Nandito ang partido para sa mahihirap,” he said.
[Translation: The party of the rich is in Club Filipino, while the party for the poor is here.]
With the announcement, Binay believes the public can now evaluate who could better lead the country.
“Simula na ng pagsusuri ng tao kung sino ang kandidatong may kakayahan at karanasan,” he said.
[Translation: The people can now scrutinize which candidate has the competence and experience.]
In a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey on the best leaders to succeed Aquino, released last month, Binay ranked second and Roxas third. Topping the list was Sen. Grace Poe, who was asked by Aquino to run alongside Roxas.
