BOHOL, Philippines – Self-styled opposition leader Vice President Jejomar Binay’s resignation had revealed the “truth,” according to Interior Secretary and Liberal Party (LP) president-on-leave Secretary Manuel Roxas II: that he is not part of the administration’s “Daang Matuwid.”

“Maganda ang pakikitungo sa kanya ng Pangulo. Si Pangulo mismo ang nagsabing hindi siya ginawang spare part. Binigyan siya ng sapat na kapangyarihan. Binigyan siya ng will. Hindi lang na naghahantay na may mangyari sa kay PNoy tapos eto pa ang isusukli niya sa Pangulo,” Roxas said in a Monday, June 29 interview with local Bohol station DYRD.

(President Benigno Aquino III treated Vice President Jejomar Binay well. The President himself said that he made sure he wasn’t a spare part. He was given enough powers, it wasn’t as if he was merely maid to wait on the President and this is how he repays him?)

Roxas was in the province on Monday to speak before barangay captains during a disaster emergency training session in Tagbilaran City.

Binay was Aquino’s housing czar and presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers concerns for 5 years before he resigned on June 22, 2015, to protest a “crooked” and “failed” government.

“Ang punto lang dito ay limang taoon siyang wala tayong nadinig tapos bingla nalang iba pala ang kulo sa loob at biglang babanat. Natatawa ako sa sinabi niya. Hindi ko tinatawanan ang problema. Hindi ko sinasabi na perfect ang lahat. Natatawa lang ako dahil ano ba talaga ang katotohanan?” said Roxas. 

(My point is that for 5 years, we did not hear a thing from him but now, suddenly, we find out that he felt differently and he’s lashing out. I find what he’s saying funny. I’m not laughing at the problem at hand. I’m not saying everything’s perfect. I find it funny because what’s the truth?)

“I think lumabas lang talaga ang katotohanan na hindi natin siya kasama sa Daang Matuwid,” said Roxas of Binay.

(I think the truth is coming out, that he’s not really part of the Daang Matuwid.)

“Daang Matuwid” is the Aquino administration’s tagline for its anti-corruption, good governance, and transparency drive.

After his resignation, Binay went on an all-out offensive against the current administration, accusing it of bad governance and “selective justice.”

The Vice President, who is set to be the opposition United National Alliance (UNA) standard-bearer in the 2016 elections, has been the subject of a months-long Senate probe into allegations that he pocketed millions of the city’s funds while he was mayor of Makati.

Binay’s resignation from the Cabinet came after Aquino himself thumbed down the Vice President’s hopes that he would get the President’s support come 2016.

Roxas had questioned why Binay was “quiet” while he was in the Cabinet for 5 years. In the Monday radio interview, Roxas made the same statements against Binay.

“Sa bawat SONA, nandun siya pumapalakpak, wala tayong nadinig sa kanya for 5 years. Ano ba ang sinseridad? Ano ba ang katotohanan? Totoo ba yung pumapalakpak siya, at ngumingiti siya o tunatango siya? Totoo ba ang sinasabi niya ngayon?” he said.

(In every State of the Nation Address, Binay is there cheering on and yet we heard nothing from him for over 5 years. Where’s the sincerity in that? What’s the truth? Was he sincere when he was clapping, smiling, nodding? Is what he saying now the truth?)

Binay’s camp has insisted that the Vice President made known to Aquino his complaints then.

Roxas and Binay are expected to go head-to-head in the coming 2016 presidential elections, with Roxas as the LP’s expected standard-bearer.

The interior secretary, however, has fared badly in surveys on the 2016 elections. The latest polls show him placing 3rd or 4th among possible contenders for the presidency.

Binay used to lead surveys but he has since slid to second, following the barrage of corruption allegations against him. – Rappler.com