Binay ‘for’ transparency, but avoids questions

IN AN issue of the Inquirer, the presidential candidates’ agenda versus graft and corruption were given prominence (“Election 2016: Agenda of the next president,” Front Page, 2/13/16). What intrigued me most was Vice President Jejomar Binay’s answer: transparency!

Whose leg is he trying to pull? As most people understand it, “transparency” is about letting it all out, about having nothing to hide, about coming clean, about not being afraid to face anybody—and, more importantly, about not being picky about the venue for telling the truth. The mantra “I will answer all accusations only at the proper forum” is the usual refuge of scoundrels! They refer to a “court of law” where in this country cases get easily consigned to oblivion.

Binay has to this day evaded “invites” for him to clear his name before the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee which is investigating shenanigans he is accused of committing while he was mayor of Makati City, and which is trying to get to the bottom of how he rose from being a “human rights lawyer” doing pro bono cases to being a multibillionaire after lording it over the City Hall of superrich Makati for decades!

Binay prefers to go around the country to “explain” his side to people who are either too friendly to offend him with probing questions or too dense to understand what the heck is up with him. Worse, in most of those sorties for his presidential bid, his handlers simply keep him away from answering questions from anyone! Transparency my foot!

—ROSE ANNE BARTOLOME, [email protected]