Jojo says nay to Noy MR. EXPOSE Amb. Ernesto Maceda 06/25/2010

Jojo says nay to Noy

MR. EXPOSE Amb. Ernesto Maceda 06/25/2010 Two weeks after his proclamation as President-elect, Noynoy Aquino finally found time to talk to Vice President-elect Jejomar “Jojo” Binay. The much delayed meeting is the first indication that P-Noy did not consider the Vice President-elect that important. No less than former Secretary of Finance Jose “Titoy” Pardo and long time Aquino family friend had tried to arrange a meeting 10 days ago. In their two-hour meeting Wednesday afternoon at the Times Street, QC residence of P-Noy, he offered him the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairmanship, then the Department of Agrarian Reform, a program that is being phased out and finally a still to be created commission to probe the corruption of GMA and other officials, positions demeaning to the high position of Vice President and all of which Vice President-elect Jojo Binay politely declined. At the time of the meeting, the post of Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary which was given to then Vice Presidents Emmanuel Pelaez and Cory’s teammate Salvador Laurel was still uncommitted. And so were the Departments of Agriculture (DA), Public Works and Highways, Labor and Employment and Department of Environment and Natural Resources. DA was held twice by Vice President Fernando Lopez. Any of these five regular Cabinet positions, also called with portfolio, could have been appropriately offered to VP Binay but P-Noy in effect insulted VP Binay and his almost 15 million supporters when the positions offered were minor posts of “Cabinet rank.” Getting VP Binay to his Cabinet would have started the reconciliation process with the Estrada-Binay camp, a move President FVR advised P-Noy to make. P-Noy rabid booster Conrad de Quiros of the Philippine Daily Inquirer reminded P-Noy of the VP Binay’s long time support for the opposition cause against GMA. He said: “During the pit of GMA’s rule, when the various Metro Manila Mayors were either scared s-tless or trying to ingratiate themselves with GMA, where did all the marchers who marched to protest GMA’s tyranny march to? Where did all the protesters who were unwilling to risk life and limb to defy the ban to mount anti-GMA rallies in Lito Atienza’s Manila and elsewhere seek refuge in? Where did all the actions by the nuns, the priests, the businessmen, the workers, the NGOs, the activists, the housewives and househusbands take place in? “Makati. Specifically, Binay’s Makati.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100625com4.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Sorry, all seats taken FRONTLINE Shabby treatment ANALYSIS Vietnam legislature evolving, but still communist MR. EXPOSE Jojo says nay to Noy NO HOLDS BARRED Losing much too early DIE HARD III Keeping the revolution alive LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Clarification focus McChrystal’s radical war plan losing early luster