Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — It’s Vice President Jejomar Binay’s turn to meet the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
After meeting Sen. Grace Poe and Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero several times, the NPC gave the vice president an opportunity to be heard by its party members.
Binay met with NPC on Monday (September 7) in Quezon City, in what seems to be an attempt to sway votes in his favor.
Next to the Liberal Party (LP), NPC is the second largest political party in the country with at least 2,400 incumbents. Binay’s spokesman Mon Ilagan said NPC’s machinery will be a big help to the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) in the 2016 presidential elections.
Ilagan said Binay was invited by NPC to talk about his plans and intentions as a presidential candidate, as well as building his machinery for the upcoming elections.
According to Ilagan, this is the first time that Binay met with NPC members — although UNA has repeatedly claimed that it is in talks for a possible alliance with NPC.
Ilagan said Binay is confident that he will get the support of the NPC especially with the endorsement of former Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, the son of NPC founder and chairman emeritus Danding Cojuangco.
Aside from Poe and Escudero, NPC also earlier met with LP presidential bet Mar Roxas.
Many NPC members have already expressed their support to Poe and Escudero’s possible tandem for next year’s presidential elections. But Binay’s camp said they are still optimistic that they will get the support of the majority of the NPC members.
Maharlika Village welcomes Binay with protest
It seems that Binay isn’t welcomed with open arms in some of the places he goes to.
As the vice president continues with his rounds in the country — to clear his name of corruption allegations and at the same time to let the public know what his platforms are — he was greeted with a protest when he visited Maharlika Village on Saturday (September 5).
A group of Maharlika Village residents said they opposed his visit and that they do not welcome officials who are allegedly corrupt.
“Kasi dito sa Taguig bawal ang corrupt,” Maharlika Village leader Sultan Panny Pangandaman said.
Binay acknowledged the protesters and their criticisms, but still went on with his visit.
He spoke with the residents about the relevance of overseas Filipino workers, especially those who come from poor families in Filipino Muslim communities. The vice president also led a boodle fight in the area.
Binay said he even received threats before he visited Maharlika village.
“Sa diwa ng demokrasya, meron talagang di mo kakampi. Part of freedom of speech yan, kinikilala ko yan. Yun lang, walang takutan sana,” Binay told the media.
Binay was accompanied by the president’s uncle, Peping Cojuangco. Sulu Princess Jacel Kiram and Parañaque City councilor Alma Moreno, who will be part of UNA’s senatorial slate, were also with Binay during his visit to Maharlika Village.
CNN Philippines’ Joyce Ilas and Paola Palma contributed to this report.
