Jejomar Binay
Encyclopedia
Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay, Sr. (born November 11, 1942), also known as Jojo Binay or VPNay, is a Filipino
politician who has been the 15th Vice President of the Philippines
since 2010. Previously, he was Mayor of Makati City
from 1986 to 1998 and again from 2001 to 2010. He is also the President of the United Opposition (UNO), President of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), Chairman of Asia-Pacific Region Scout Committee, and the President of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines
.
Preparatory High School, and earned a bachelor's degree in political science and Bachelor of Laws from UP (LIB). Binay joined the youth fraternal organization Order of DeMolay, Loyalty Chapter, Manila, Philippines under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council, Order of DeMolay of the Republic of the Philippines, sponsored by Free and Accepted Masons. Mayor Binay received a DeMolay Leadership award on March 16, 1996 from the Supreme Council, Order of DeMolay for outstanding leadership and DeMolay Legion of Honor given by the Supreme Council, Order of DeMolay on July 13, 1996. In his collegiate stint, he also joined Alpha Phi Omega
fraternity in the University of the Philippines (Eta Chapter). He passed the bar exam in 1968, and took masteral subjects in public administration and law in UP and University of Santo Tomas
, respectively.
In between jobs and earning degrees, Binay gave lectures and taught law, political science and public administration at the then Philippine College of Commerce (now, Polytechnic University of the Philippines
), Philippine Women’s University and St. Scholastica’s College.
Binay gave free legal assistance to poor clients and victims of human rights abuses during the Marcos regime. His passion for protection of human rights developed during his student days in UP, where he was a member of the UP Student Council being University Councilor and was among the acknowledged firebrands of the burgeoning student movement.
Binay joined the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and the August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM), formed shortly after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in August 1983. He also helped found the Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity and Nationalism, Inc. (MABINI), a group of progressive lawyers that included Senators Lorenzo Tañada
, Wigberto Tañada
, Rene Saguisag
and Joker Arroyo
.
For helping political prisoners, many MABINI lawyers, including Binay, were locked up in local jails and military stockades.
’s first appointed local official after Nemesio I. Yabut died while in office as mayor during the EDSA Revolution. He was reelected in 1987, 1992, and 1995.
Binay joined pro-democracy forces in thwarting the mutinies. His active role in the defense of the Constitution earned him the nickname “Rambotito” (or little Rambo, after the screen hero), the Outstanding Achievement Medal and a special commendation from President Aquino herself.
in 1987 and was later elected by his peers in Metro Manila as chairman of the Metro Manila Authority (precursor to the MMDA). He served from 1990 to 1992.
In 1998, Binay was appointed chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
(MMDA) with cabinet rank under the administration of president Joseph Estrada
. He was also appointed as vice-chairman of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission and Traffic Czar for Metro Manila.
via landslide. He won his second term in 2004 by a landslide against 1st district Councilor Oscar Ibay. He ran for his third and last term as mayor in 2007 and won again by a landslide, beating incumbent Senator and actor Lito Lapid. His margin over Lapid has been considered as the largest margin in a local election in Makati City.
issued a suspension order against Binay, his vice mayor, and all members of the City Council following an accusation of 'ghost employees' on the city payroll by former city councilor Roberto Brillante, a political rival. Refusing to cooperate with the suspension order, Binay barricaded himself inside the Makati City Hall. Among those who expressed support for Binay were former President Corazon Aquino
, actress Susan Roces
– who is the widow of Arroyo’s rival in the 2004 presidential elections, Fernando Poe Jr. – and several Catholic bishops. After a three-day stand-off, the Court of Appeals
issued a temporary restraining order. Before it lapsed, the court issued an injunction order, thereby preventing the Office of the President from enforcing its suspension order until the case is resolved.
Binay was upheld by the courts in a graft case filed by the Ombudsman over allegations of overpricing in the purchase of office furniture. The case was also filed by Brillante, who at that time was leading in Makati a Palace-supported signature campaign to amend the Constitution. The Sandiganbayan Third Division dismissed the graft case filed against Binay and his six co-accused for lack of factual basis. Critics claim the suspension order was intended to distract attention from the government's own scandals.
The BIR issued the order after it said the city still owed the BIR P 1.1 billion in withholding taxes of city employees from 1999 to 2002. BIR revenue officer Roberto Baquiran signed and issued the warrant of garnishment against the bank accounts that belonged to Binay, his vice mayor, the city government and the city’s treasurer and accountant.
The city government protested the garnishment order, saying the city had already paid P200 million to the BIR as part of a settlement agreement agreed to by Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and former BIR chief Jose Bunag. The city also said the order was flawed, since Baquiran has no authority to issue writs of garnishment. Freezing the personal accounts of Binay and Mercado were also unlawful, they said. The city government also maintained that the freeze order would cripple city government services.
The garnishment orders were eventually lifted by Malacañang, but not after Binay slammed the move as politically motivated and patently illegal. Business leaders also voiced concern over the adverse effects of the unprecedented BIR action on public services in the country’s financial center.
And again, barely a week before Election Day, the Ombudsman suspended Binay based on allegations made by a local candidate allied with Malacanang. It would be revealed that the charges were supported by falsified statements. As president of the United Opposition (UNO), Binay had been very active in campaigning for the opposition bets for the Senate, and had been issuing critical statements against the Arroyo government. In a repeat of the October 2006 incident, heavily-armed policemen barged into the City Hall after office hours, forcibly opening the offices and occupying the building. Binay confronted police officials and representatives of the Department of Interior and Local Government, while hundreds of supporters once again swarmed the city hall quadrangle to show their support.
The suspension order generated national media attention, and prompted even administration senatorial candidates to protest publicly, saying the action further undermined their chances in the elections. In the election that followed, Binay and his entire slate in the polls won by a landslide. The opposition slate for the Senate eventually won by a landslide.
, announced his bid for the presidency at Makati City Hall in his 66th birthday on November 11, 2008. He ran under the banner of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban). Binay's candidacy earned words of support from former President Joseph Estrada
. However, he decided to campaign for Vice President as Estrada's running mate.
, the same position held by his predecessor, Vice-President
Noli de Castro
. As Presidential Adviser for OFW Concerns, Binay is also head of the Task Force OFW which helps Overseas Filipino Workers who were maltreated by their employers to return to the Philippines at government expense.
, a doctor of medicine. She was elected Mayor of Makati in the 1998 elections, and served until 2001. Their union bore them five children: Maria Lourdes Nancy, Mar-Len Abigail (currently serving as representative for the 2nd District of Makati City), Jejomar Erwin Jr. (current mayor of Makati City), Marita Angeline and Joanna Marie Blanca.
and was elected Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Committee Chairman on February 8, 2008. He also holds electoral positions in international organizations, namely: Vice President for Membership (2006–2008), United Cities and Local Governments-Asia Pacific Chapter; Life Honorary Member (since February 2001) and Member, World Executive Committee – International Union of Local Authorities-Asia Pacific; Member, Executive Committee (2006–2009), Network for Local Authorities for the Management of Human Settlement (CITYNET); and Chairman, Finance Sub-Committee, World Scout Organization. He also founded Bigay Pagmamahal Foundation Incorporated which gives scholarship to the poor students of the Philippines. He also holds the rank of colonel in the Philippine Navy Reserve Force.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
politician who has been the 15th Vice President of the Philippines
Vice President of the Philippines
-Description:The Vice-President is the first in the Philippine line of succession, assuming the Presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal by impeachment and subsequent conviction of the incumbent. The position was abolished by Martial Law in 1972, and was not included in the original text...
since 2010. Previously, he was Mayor of Makati City
Makati City
The City of Makati is one of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines and one of the major financial, commercial and economic hubs in Asia...
from 1986 to 1998 and again from 2001 to 2010. He is also the President of the United Opposition (UNO), President of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), Chairman of Asia-Pacific Region Scout Committee, and the President of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines
Boy Scouts of the Philippines
The Boy Scouts of the Philippines is the national Scout organization of the Philippines. Its mission is to imbue in the youth the love of God, country, and fellow men; to train young people to become responsible leaders; and to contribute in nation-building.The BSP was chartered under...
.
Education and early career
Binay studied at the Philippine Normal College Training Department, University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
Preparatory High School, and earned a bachelor's degree in political science and Bachelor of Laws from UP (LIB). Binay joined the youth fraternal organization Order of DeMolay, Loyalty Chapter, Manila, Philippines under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council, Order of DeMolay of the Republic of the Philippines, sponsored by Free and Accepted Masons. Mayor Binay received a DeMolay Leadership award on March 16, 1996 from the Supreme Council, Order of DeMolay for outstanding leadership and DeMolay Legion of Honor given by the Supreme Council, Order of DeMolay on July 13, 1996. In his collegiate stint, he also joined Alpha Phi Omega
Alpha Phi Omega
Alpha Phi Omega is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of approximately 17,000 students, and over 350,000 alumni members...
fraternity in the University of the Philippines (Eta Chapter). He passed the bar exam in 1968, and took masteral subjects in public administration and law in UP and University of Santo Tomas
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
, respectively.
In between jobs and earning degrees, Binay gave lectures and taught law, political science and public administration at the then Philippine College of Commerce (now, Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Polytechnic University of the Philippines
The Polytechnic University of the Philippines commonly known as PUP is a public research university in the Philippines. It was founded on October 19, 1904 as the Manila Business School, offering commerce-related courses...
), Philippine Women’s University and St. Scholastica’s College.
Binay gave free legal assistance to poor clients and victims of human rights abuses during the Marcos regime. His passion for protection of human rights developed during his student days in UP, where he was a member of the UP Student Council being University Councilor and was among the acknowledged firebrands of the burgeoning student movement.
Binay joined the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and the August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM), formed shortly after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in August 1983. He also helped found the Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity and Nationalism, Inc. (MABINI), a group of progressive lawyers that included Senators Lorenzo Tañada
Lorenzo Tañada
Lorenzo Martinez Tañada was a Filipino politician. Elected to the first Philippine Senate in 1947, he was the longest-serving senator in Philippine history. He served as a Philippine senator for 24 years.-Early life:...
, Wigberto Tañada
Wigberto Tañada
Wigberto "Ka Bobby" Ebarle Tañada, Sr. is a Filipino politician. He is member of the Liberal Party and a former member of the Senate of the Philippines and Philippine House of Representatives representing the Quezon's 4th District . He is the son of the the late former senator Lorenzo M...
, Rene Saguisag
Rene Saguisag
Rene A. V. Saguisag is a Filipino lawyer. He served as a Filipino Senator from 1987 until 1992.-Early life:...
and Joker Arroyo
Joker Arroyo
Joker Paz Arroyo is a Filipino lawyer, politician and Senator of the Republic of the Philippines. He has no direct relation with former Presidential spouse Jose Miguel Arroyo.-Early life and career:...
.
For helping political prisoners, many MABINI lawyers, including Binay, were locked up in local jails and military stockades.
Mayor of Makati City (1986–1998)
In February 1986, Binay became President Corazon AquinoCorazon Aquino
Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
’s first appointed local official after Nemesio I. Yabut died while in office as mayor during the EDSA Revolution. He was reelected in 1987, 1992, and 1995.
Binay joined pro-democracy forces in thwarting the mutinies. His active role in the defense of the Constitution earned him the nickname “Rambotito” (or little Rambo, after the screen hero), the Outstanding Achievement Medal and a special commendation from President Aquino herself.
MMDA Chairman
During his first term as mayor, Binay was also appointed Governor of Metro ManilaMetro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
in 1987 and was later elected by his peers in Metro Manila as chairman of the Metro Manila Authority (precursor to the MMDA). He served from 1990 to 1992.
In 1998, Binay was appointed chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority , is an agency of the Republic of the Philippines created embracing the cities of Manila, Quezon City, Caloocan, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Valenzuela, Malabon, Taguig, Navotas and San Juan and the...
(MMDA) with cabinet rank under the administration of president Joseph Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
. He was also appointed as vice-chairman of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission and Traffic Czar for Metro Manila.
Mayor of Makati City (2001–2010)
In 2001, Binay was reclaimed his post as mayor of Makati, winning over actor, TV host, and then-vice mayor Edu ManzanoEdu Manzano
-Television:*Unang Hirit *Family Feud: The Showdown Edition *Asar Talo Lahat Panalo! *Pilipinas Game Ka na Ba? *1 Vs...
via landslide. He won his second term in 2004 by a landslide against 1st district Councilor Oscar Ibay. He ran for his third and last term as mayor in 2007 and won again by a landslide, beating incumbent Senator and actor Lito Lapid. His margin over Lapid has been considered as the largest margin in a local election in Makati City.
Suspension
In October 2006, the Department of the Interior and Local GovernmentDepartment of the Interior and Local Government (Philippines)
The Philippines' Department of the Interior and Local Government is the executive department of the Philippine Government responsible for promoting peace and order, ensuring public safety, and strengthening the capabilities of local government units...
issued a suspension order against Binay, his vice mayor, and all members of the City Council following an accusation of 'ghost employees' on the city payroll by former city councilor Roberto Brillante, a political rival. Refusing to cooperate with the suspension order, Binay barricaded himself inside the Makati City Hall. Among those who expressed support for Binay were former President Corazon Aquino
Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
, actress Susan Roces
Susan Roces
Jesusa Purificación Sonora , better known as Susan Rocés, is a Filipina actress and widow of Ronald Allan Kelley Poe, better known as Fernando Poe, Jr...
– who is the widow of Arroyo’s rival in the 2004 presidential elections, Fernando Poe Jr. – and several Catholic bishops. After a three-day stand-off, the Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals
A court of appeals is an appellate court generally.Court of Appeals may refer to:*Military Court of Appeals *Corte d'Assise d'Appello *Philippine Court of Appeals*High Court of Appeals of Turkey*United States courts of appeals...
issued a temporary restraining order. Before it lapsed, the court issued an injunction order, thereby preventing the Office of the President from enforcing its suspension order until the case is resolved.
Binay was upheld by the courts in a graft case filed by the Ombudsman over allegations of overpricing in the purchase of office furniture. The case was also filed by Brillante, who at that time was leading in Makati a Palace-supported signature campaign to amend the Constitution. The Sandiganbayan Third Division dismissed the graft case filed against Binay and his six co-accused for lack of factual basis. Critics claim the suspension order was intended to distract attention from the government's own scandals.
BIR Garnishment
On May 2, 2007 the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) froze all the bank accounts of the city government of Makati and the personal accounts of Binay and his Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado.The BIR issued the order after it said the city still owed the BIR P 1.1 billion in withholding taxes of city employees from 1999 to 2002. BIR revenue officer Roberto Baquiran signed and issued the warrant of garnishment against the bank accounts that belonged to Binay, his vice mayor, the city government and the city’s treasurer and accountant.
The city government protested the garnishment order, saying the city had already paid P200 million to the BIR as part of a settlement agreement agreed to by Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and former BIR chief Jose Bunag. The city also said the order was flawed, since Baquiran has no authority to issue writs of garnishment. Freezing the personal accounts of Binay and Mercado were also unlawful, they said. The city government also maintained that the freeze order would cripple city government services.
The garnishment orders were eventually lifted by Malacañang, but not after Binay slammed the move as politically motivated and patently illegal. Business leaders also voiced concern over the adverse effects of the unprecedented BIR action on public services in the country’s financial center.
And again, barely a week before Election Day, the Ombudsman suspended Binay based on allegations made by a local candidate allied with Malacanang. It would be revealed that the charges were supported by falsified statements. As president of the United Opposition (UNO), Binay had been very active in campaigning for the opposition bets for the Senate, and had been issuing critical statements against the Arroyo government. In a repeat of the October 2006 incident, heavily-armed policemen barged into the City Hall after office hours, forcibly opening the offices and occupying the building. Binay confronted police officials and representatives of the Department of Interior and Local Government, while hundreds of supporters once again swarmed the city hall quadrangle to show their support.
The suspension order generated national media attention, and prompted even administration senatorial candidates to protest publicly, saying the action further undermined their chances in the elections. In the election that followed, Binay and his entire slate in the polls won by a landslide. The opposition slate for the Senate eventually won by a landslide.
Vice-Presidential campaign
Binay, president of the United OppositionUnited Opposition (Philippines)
The United Opposition is a political party in the Philippines. It called itself the "Genuine Opposition" coalition throughout the duration of the 2007 midterm elections.-History:...
, announced his bid for the presidency at Makati City Hall in his 66th birthday on November 11, 2008. He ran under the banner of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban). Binay's candidacy earned words of support from former President Joseph Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
. However, he decided to campaign for Vice President as Estrada's running mate.
Vice-Presidency
Jejomar Binay was inaugurated as the 15th Vice-President of the Philippines on June 30, 2010. He was the first local government official to be elected vice president.HUDCC Chairmanship
Binay was appointed as chairman of the Housing Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) by President Noynoy AquinoBenigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....
, the same position held by his predecessor, Vice-President
Vice President of the Philippines
-Description:The Vice-President is the first in the Philippine line of succession, assuming the Presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal by impeachment and subsequent conviction of the incumbent. The position was abolished by Martial Law in 1972, and was not included in the original text...
Noli de Castro
Noli de Castro
Manuel Leuterio de Castro, Jr. , better known as Noli de Castro or "Kabayan" Noli de Castro, was Vice President of the Philippines ....
. As Presidential Adviser for OFW Concerns, Binay is also head of the Task Force OFW which helps Overseas Filipino Workers who were maltreated by their employers to return to the Philippines at government expense.
Personal life
Binay is married to Elenita SombilloElenita Binay
Dr. Elenita Sombillo-Binay nicknamed as Ellen is the former mayor of Makati City serving from 1998 to 2001 and the current Second Lady of the Philippines for being the wife of Vice President Jejomar Binay. They have several children, two of whom are casting their lots into the political ring. She...
, a doctor of medicine. She was elected Mayor of Makati in the 1998 elections, and served until 2001. Their union bore them five children: Maria Lourdes Nancy, Mar-Len Abigail (currently serving as representative for the 2nd District of Makati City), Jejomar Erwin Jr. (current mayor of Makati City), Marita Angeline and Joanna Marie Blanca.
Extramarital affair
In 2010, Binay admitted to having an extramarital affair, which almost cost him his marriage to Elenita Binay. Binay complained about photos of his mistress that were leaked in the Internet, saying the tactic was a reaction to his rise in his Vice Presidential poll ratings.Civic work
Binay is also active in civic work. Besides being a member of the Rotary Club of Makati, R.I. District 3830, he is currently on his third term as the National President of the Boy Scouts of the PhilippinesBoy Scouts of the Philippines
The Boy Scouts of the Philippines is the national Scout organization of the Philippines. Its mission is to imbue in the youth the love of God, country, and fellow men; to train young people to become responsible leaders; and to contribute in nation-building.The BSP was chartered under...
and was elected Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Committee Chairman on February 8, 2008. He also holds electoral positions in international organizations, namely: Vice President for Membership (2006–2008), United Cities and Local Governments-Asia Pacific Chapter; Life Honorary Member (since February 2001) and Member, World Executive Committee – International Union of Local Authorities-Asia Pacific; Member, Executive Committee (2006–2009), Network for Local Authorities for the Management of Human Settlement (CITYNET); and Chairman, Finance Sub-Committee, World Scout Organization. He also founded Bigay Pagmamahal Foundation Incorporated which gives scholarship to the poor students of the Philippines. He also holds the rank of colonel in the Philippine Navy Reserve Force.