BINAY’S NEW PLOY: BRING THE ISSUE TO PEOPLE Battered Vice President Jejomar Binay has a new ploy to battle the plunder charges he faces in connecting with the alleged overpriced parking building (P2.2 billion, P2.4 billion, or P2.7 billion depending on the final cost). He is bringing the issue directly to the people, expecting that a positive public reaction could lead to his exoneration. Last week, Jojo Binay flew to Cagayan de Oro City and met with the Emanos – former mayor Vicente and son Dongkoy, now the Misamis Oriental governor. Dongkoy and his followers plastered the city with tarpaulins containing pro-Binay messages. Dongkoy also spoke on the radio, asking the Misamis Oriental mayors to support Binay’s presidential bid in the 2016 presidential elections. Binay’s trip to Cagayan de Oro City had all the trappings of a presidential campaign, but it was a case of bad politics. The sordid truth was that Binay was running scared. If ever the plunder charges against him prosper (and indications show they would), Binay could kiss his presidential ambitions goodbye. No jailed political leader in the annals of Philippine history has dared to run in any presidential elections. From all indications, Binay was not in Cagayan de Oro City to push for his presidential bid, which would likely end as stillborn given the public battering he was receiving in connection with the allegedly overpriced parking building. His Cagayan de Oro City sojourn was intended to drum up popular support for his fight against the plunder charges his political opponents had filed against him and son Mayor Junjun Binay. In brief, he wanted to create his own brand of people power to extricate himself from his current sticky mess. Binay’s move to create his own people power was supported by the protest demonstration of some 800 supporters, who gathered this morning in front of Makati 2 Building (the official name of the parking building), which was being questioned by senators for being overpriced. The senators held an ocular inspection there. The move to start a people power was obvious, but it hardly gained any traction from the people, who seemed to have shown what it was earlier described as “protest fatigue.” It was the same failed strategy employed by Bong Revilla, but the latter later went to jail after the plunder charges have been elevated to the Sandiganbayan. The propensity of political leaders like Binay to bring directly the issue to the people and generate some sort of people power is an overused strategy that does not resonate with the people, who have become more informed, selective, and resolute to assert their views as a result of their immersion to social media. For sure, Binay’s strategy will explode right on his face. Straight denials and people power does not constitute the correct alchemy to free himself from those charges of plunder. Perceived plunderers could no longer use popular support as an excuse. Binay is doomed.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 08:57:09 +0000
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