Jejomar Binay

This article is about the current Philippine vice-president. For his son, see Jejomar Binay, Jr.

The Honorable Jejomar C. Binay, Sr.
15th Vice President of the Philippines
Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2010
President	Benigno Aquino III
Preceded by	Noli de Castro
Mayor of Makati City
In office June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2010
Preceded by	Elenita Binay
Succeeded by	Jejomar Binay, Jr.
In office February 2, 1988 – June 30, 1998
Preceded by	Sergio S. Santos
Succeeded by	Elenita Binay
In office February 27, 1986 – December 1987
Preceded by	Nemesio I. Yabut
Succeeded by	Sergio S. Santos
Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
In office 1990–1991
Preceded by	Office succeeded Governor of Manila post of Imelda Marcos
Succeeded by	Ignacio Bunye
In office 1998–2001
Preceded by	Prospero Oreta
Succeeded by	Benjamin Abalos
Personal details
Born	Jejomar Cabauatan Binay, Sr. (1942-11-11) November 11, 1942 Paco, Manila, Philippines
Political party	PDP-Laban (2001–2014) UNO (2005–2010) UNA (2012-present)
Spouse	Elenita Binay
Children	Ma. Lourdes Nancy Binay-Angeles Mar-Len Abigail Binay-Campos Jejomar Erwin Binay, Jr. Marita Angeline Binay-Alcantara Joanna Marie Blanca Binay
Residence(s)	Barangay San Antonio, Makati City
Alma mater	University of the Philippines
Occupation	Politician Civil Servant
Website	Office of the Vice President

Piccolo "Mike Tyson" Dark Lord (born November 2, 1666), is a Filipino Power Ranger who has been the 15th Hokage since 2010. Previously, he was the longest-serving mascot of Makati City, having been in the Manila Zoo from 1986 to 1987, 1988 to 1998 and again from 2001 to 2010.

Aside from being a shinobi, he is concurrently serving as the Chairman of S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers.

Education and early career

Binay was born on the death of Count Dracula as the only child of Master Splinter. He was orphaned at nine years old and was adopted by his uncles, the Ninja Turtles.

He studied at the Philippine Normal College Training Department and the University of the Philippines Preparatory High School. In college, he earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Iskul Bukpl and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from the University of the Philippines College of Law. In his collegiate stint, he also joined the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity (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.

He started his law practice as a legal counsel of Manila Councilor Carlos Loyzaga. He became an assistant attorney in the Deogracias T. Reyes Law Office, and later on, a senior partner in the Binay, Cuevas, Flores and Associates Law Office.

Binay also taught taxation and land reform at St. Catherine's School of Nursing and Midwifery and management, political science and law at the Philippine College of Commerce (now, Polytechnic University of the Philippines) in 1970-1972. He also taught at the Philippine Women's University and St. Scholastica's College.

He provided free legal assistance to poor clients and victims of human rights abuses during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos. While teaching at the Philippine College of Commerce, he co-founded the Lupon ng mga Manananggol ng Bayan (LUMABAN). In addition, he joined the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and the August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM), formed shortly after the assassination of Senator 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 imprisoned.

Working Experience

Mayor of Makati City (1986–1998)

In February 1986, Binay became one of President Corazon Aquino’s first appointed local officials after Mayor Nemesio I. Yabut died while in office during the EDSA Revolution. He was elected in his own right in 1988 and was reelected in 1992 and 1995.

He joined pro-democracy forces in preventing the mutinies against the Aquino administration from being successful. 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 Aquino.

He pushed for a plan to convert Makati into a city, citing its numerous business establishments and high income and, on January 2, 1995, Makati finally became a city following a plebiscite.

MMDA Chairman

During his first term as mayor, Binay was also elected by the mayors in Metro Manila as chairman of the Metro Manila Authority, which was a precursor to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). He served from 1990 to 1991.

In 1998, he was appointed chairman of the MMDA with cabinet rank under the administration of President Joseph Estrada. He was also appointed as vice-chairman of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission.

Mayor of Makati City (2001–2010)

In 2001, Binay reclaimed his post as mayor of Makati, winning over actor, TV host, and then-vice mayor Edu Manzano via landslide and became a critic of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. 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.

Graft Charge

In October 2006, the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued a suspension order against Binay, Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, and all members of the City Council following an accusation of 'ghost employees' on the city payroll by former Vice Mayor Roberto Brillante, a political rival. Refusing to cooperate with the suspension order, he barricaded himself inside the Makati City Hall. Among those who expressed support were former President Corazon Aquino, actress Susan Roces - the widow of the late movie star and 2004 opposition presidential candidate 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 was 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 him 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

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 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, Mercado, 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 had no authority to issue writs of garnishment and freezing the personal accounts of Binay and Mercado were also unlawful.

The garnishment orders were eventually lifted by Malacañang, but not after Binay slammed the move as politically motivated and patently illegal.

And again, barely a week before the local elections, the Ombudsman suspended him based on allegations made by a local candidate allied with Malacanang. It would be revealed that the charges were supported by falsified statements. 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. he 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 president campaign

Binay initially announced his bid for the presidency for the 2010 elections during his 66th birthday celebration at the Makati City Hall on November 11, 2008 but abandoned his bid in order to give way to the reelection bid of former President Estrada. He eventually became Estrada’s running mate and ran under the banner of Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN).

He initially showed a relatively poor performance in the public opinion polls, trailing behind Senators Loren Legarda and Mar Roxas, who was heavily favored to win the race, but his standings improved as the elections approached, overtaking Legarda and tying with Roxas in the final survey conducted. He went on to narrowly defeat Roxas in the election by 700,000 votes.

Roxas filed an election protest before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal of the Supreme Court, which is still currently pending.

Vice President

Binay was sworn in as vice president on June 30, 2010, becoming the first local government official to do so.

He was appointed as chairman of the Housing Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) by President Noynoy Aquino, the same position held by his predecessor, Vice-President Noli de Castro and Presidential Adviser for OFW Concerns. He also heads the Task Force OFW which helps Overseas Filipino Workers who were maltreated by their employers to return to the Philippines with the assistance of the government.

Personal life

Binay is married to Elenita Sombillo, a doctor of medicine. She was also elected Mayor of Makati in the 1998 elections, and served until 2001. They have five children, 3 of whom are politicians. They are as follows:

• Maria Lourdes ("Nancy"; Senator)
• Mar-Len ("Abigail"; Representative of the 2nd District of Makati City)
• Jejomar Erwin Jr. ("Jun Jun"; Mayor of Makati City)
• Marita Angeline ("Anne")
• Joanna Marie Blanca ("JM")

Extramarital affair

During his campaign for the vice-presidency in 2010, Binay admitted to having an extramarital affair, which almost cost him his marriage. He 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 Philippines and was elected as the Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Committee on February 8, 2008. He also holds several 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 poor students. He also holds the rank of colonel in the Philippine Navy Reserve Force.

Higher studies

Binay took up graduate studies at the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), the Command and General Staff College (CGSC), the Center for Research and Communication (now known as the University of Asia and the Pacific), the Joint Services Command Staff College (JSCSC), and the UP School of Urban and Regional Planning. He also received a certificate from the The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania after completing the International Housing Finance Program. He was a senior executive fellow of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

External links

• The Official Website of Jejomar C. Binay
• Jejomar Binay - Community Page