Davide: Binay displeased Cebuano crowd

Former Makati City mayor Junjun Binay shields his father Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay from the media during the opening of the UNA headquarters in Mandaue City. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)

CEBU Gov. Hilario Davide III denied accusations that the Liberal Party (LP) was responsible for the “booing” that Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay received at the Cebu City Sports Center last Sunday.

Davide, LP Cebu chairman, called the allegations of Binay’s camp “shallow, reckless, and irresponsible.”

“Why are they blaming LP? That’s just so shallow of them. Maybe they can’t find anyone else to point fingers at, that’s why,” he told reporters yesterday.

Binay, UNA partylist standard-bearer, was reportedly booed and jeered at when he went on stage and tried to give a speech during the opening of the Sinulog Grand Parade on Sunday morning.

The vice president was introduced by suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and was with his running mate, Gringo Honasan, and some members of his senatorial slate for the 2016 polls.

The vice president was mum about the booing he received from the crowd. UNA is known to be a staunch opponent of the LP in this year’s election. Joey Salgado, Binay’s spokesman, was quick to tag LP as responsible for the incident.

Governor Davide said he respects the occasion, and assured that no member of the LP would jeer at anyone during such an event.

He said he wasn’t aware of what happened until he was told by fellow Capitol officials.

“Perhaps the audience wasn’t pleased with them and what happened was out of their own will,” said Davide.

Vice President Binay was able to curtly greet the audience, around 10,000 that time, good morning and “Pit Senyor.”

The governor said the audience was probably well aware of the guidelines set by the Sinulog Foundation Inc. on visiting politicians.

He said while he didn’t know the vice president’s intentions, Binay deserved to be respected.

Binay and his slate were there because they were invited by Rama, he added.

LP senatorial aspirants—former Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) chairman Joel Villanueva, former justice secretary Leila de Lima, and former Akbayan representative Risa Hontiveros—also attended the parade.

Davide was quick to defend them, saying they wanted to participate in the festivity. Vice Governor Magpale said she felt embarrassed by what happened.

Representing the governor, she was the only LP ally onstage when Rama announced the Grand Parade opening and when Binay was jeered at. Magpale said no organized group was behind the booing.