Ex-VP Binay's kids fight inside church during election forum
A heated argument between siblings and rivals in Makati City mayoralty race Abby and Junjun Binay erupted on Saturday night in front of their respective followers inside a church.
The incident took place during a forum organized by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) at San Ildefonso Parish in Makati City.
Several videos posted online showed Junjun, the former mayor of Makati, made an outburst after Abby, the incumbent mayor of the city, delivered her message, apparently hitting him for engaging in mudslinging.
Both the Binays started to raise their voices when they were seated already beside each other, prompting Makati Police chief Colonel Rogelio Simon and Makati Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo to approach and try to pacify them.
Their father, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, who was also present in the event, tried to calm them down.
There was an instance that Junjun, in an apparent insult to Abby, knelt and bowed down on her front.
In his speech after the incident, Junjun called his sister disrespectful for arguing with him inside the church.
“I did not do anything to you. We are here inside the church, there should be respect...see, it shows that she has an attitude. Disrespectful,” he said.
Earlier in her speech, Abby said the candidates should stop spreading lies against her and her husband.
“On the remaining days of campaigning, let’s stop spreading lies… stop ruining my name and my husband. You will not win by (doing) that,” she said.
Junjun, on his Facebook post, reiterated that his sister stared at him and shouted at him after delivering her speech.
“It was clear in the video that I’m just quietly seating on my chair. After the speech of my sister, Abby, when she returned to her seat, stared at me and shouted 'liar'. I tried to calm her down but she continued on shouting and pointing her fingers at me,” he said.
He then apologized to the parochial priest and the organizer of the event for the incident.
In another statement, Junjun said elections are contests that ideally should be conducted in a civil and peaceful manner.
“Unfortunately, in the past few months there have been attempts to intimidate my supporters?some of whom have even received death threats,” he said.
“Despite these experiences, we participated in tonight's debate hoping to have a sober discussion on the issues affecting those who live in Makati. If I make a statement about any issue, the expectation is that my opponent will rebut or give her own point of view regarding the said issue, instead of reacting violently and issuing unnecessary threats,” he added.
The siblings questioned each other’s behaviour during the event, throwing different issues against each other.
Abby also apologized to the people of Makati for what happened.
"The issue of this campaign is performance. Clean, honest and corruption-free performance," she said on her Facebook page.
She also asked sorry to her father.
“Dad, I’m sorry. I told you I will endure. I promised you that I will not say anything even how painful the lies they are throwing at me. But I’m only human. On the middle of his outburst, I need to answer and defend myself because it’s too much already, it hurts so much,” she said.
The feud between the two Binays started last year when Junjun decided to run also as mayor despite his older sister's re-election bid. Ella Dionisio/DMS
