Now, the line between President Aquino and family friend, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, appears to have been finally drawn.
Yesterday, Vice President Binay tendered his irrevocable resignation from the Cabinet effective immediately.
Joey Salgado, head of the Media Affairs Division of the Office of the Vice President, confirmed the resignation of Binay.
“Binay’s daughter Makati Rep. Abigail Binay handcarried the Vice President’s resignation letter addressed to President Aquino,” Salgado said in a statement.
“She (Abigail) was accompanied by Undersecretary Benjamin Martinez Jr., chief of staff of the Vice President. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa received the letter around 3:55 p.m. at the Office of the Executive Secretary,” he added.
Malacañang said President Aquino accepted Binay’s resignation and the acceptance will be formalized by Secretary Ochoa.
Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the President received the resignation letter of Binay and immediately called him up about the matter.
Binay served the Cabinet as the chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
Aside from being the HUDCC chairman, Binay was also President Aquino’s adviser on issues concerning Filipino migrant workers.
Last week, Binay said that there was no need to draw the line between him and President Aquino, saying it is clear that he and the Chief Executive are no political allies.
“Insofar as politics is concerned, we’re not political allies, since we belong to different parties. That has always been clear,” he said in an interview in Taytay, Rizal, last Thursday when asked if it is timely for him to “draw the line” with Aquino as the elections draw near.
Binay stressed that even before he was appointed by Aquino as part of his Cabinet, it was clear to them that they are not political allies.
Despite this, Binay said he was thankful to Aquino that he was trusted to oversee the shelter sector as the HUDCC chairman and adviser on issues concerning Filipino migrant workers.
MANILA BULLETIN
