MANILA, Philippines — Despite running under opposing tickets, Senator Nancy Binay believes Makati congressional seat aspirant and incumbent Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo is qualified for the post, adding that the United Nationalist Alliance may no longer field a candidate to oppose her.
Binay, in an ambush interview on Friday at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) National Capital Region (NCR), was asked if her team would not field a candidate for the first district of Makati as Councilor Vincent Sese was the only congressional candidate she was with.
Sese is seeking the seat of Makati’s second legislative district.
“Isa ‘yon sa pinag-aaralan natin kasi ano, I have to be honest, si Congresswoman Monique Lagdameo started her political career with my brother. In fact, magkasama sila sa SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) ng aking kapatid,” Binay said, referring to her brother, former Makati Mayor Junjun Binay. “So alam ko ‘yong kakayahan and ‘yong kaya niyang gawin.”
(That is one thing we are studying because, to be honest, Congresswoman Monique Lagdamaeo started her political career with my brother. In fact, she and my brother were together at the Sangguniang Kabataan. So I know her abilities and what she can do.)
“And at the moment, isa ‘yon do’n sa pinag-aaralan natin na kasi parang hindi naman kami nandito para mag-away-away at maglaban-laban, di ba?” she added.
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(At the moment, that is one thing we are studying because we are not here to fight each other.)
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According to the senator, she wants deserving candidates elected to Makati’s government posts.
“Nakikita ko talaga na very much qualified si Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo. So pinag-aaralan natin na baka hindi ko na sa kailangan palabanan kasi di ba? Ang gusto ko naman, ‘yong mahalal ay deserving of the post for our constituents in Makati. And for me, parang si Vice Mayor Monique is deserving,” she noted.
(I really see that Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo is very much qualified. So we’re considering not fielding someone to oppose her, right? What I want is for those elected to be deserving of the post for our constituents in Makati. And for me, Vice Mayor Monique is deserving.)
On Thursday, Lagdameo filed her certificate of candidacy before the Comelec-NCR office in Barangay Greenhills, San Juan. Lagdameo was with Makati Councilor Dennis Almario, who is seeking the 2nd congressional district’s seat.
Binay, however, took a shot at Almario, Sese’s opponent.
“Hindi sabi ko, hindi siya (Almario) deserving, parang for me ah, compared do’n sa record ni soon-to-be congressman Vincent Sese. Eh ang layo-layo ng record nila di ba, walang bahid ng kaso, di ba?” she said.
(I was saying that he is not deserving, for me, compared to the record shown by soon-to-be congressman Vincent Sese. Their records are too different; he (Sese) does not have any case against him, right?)
“In terms of services, siya nakatrabaho ko na kasi siya for a time na assign to sa city hall, nagkatrabaho na kami. So, alam ko yung work ethics at kakayahan niya. At malinis ang record nito, di katulad ng isa,” she added.
(In terms of services, I was able to work with him during the time that he was assigned to the city hall; we worked together. So, I know his work ethic and his ability. He (Sese) has a clean record, unlike the other one.)
Makati’s local elections appear to be headed towards a clash among members of the Binay family, with Senator Nancy running against Makati 2nd District Rep. Luis Campos Jr., husband of incumbent Makati Mayor Abby Binay, for the mayoral race.
READ: Nancy Binay files COC for Makati mayor
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Senator Nancy’s running mate is former Makati lawmaker Monsour del Rosario, while Campos would be accompanied by Makati 1st District Rep. Kid Peña.