VP Binay on Dasma incident: Mayor Junjun deserved some courtesy

Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday defended his son, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, from criticisms after a report came out on the local official's supposed altercation with security guards in Dasmariñas Village last month.

In an interview, the vice president said the Philippine Daily Inquirer's report on the incident was "distorted,"  adding that his son deserved some courtesy.

"Ito, 'yung nangyari nung gabi, the following morning kinukwento na sa akin ni Junjun. Sabi ko, nakakalungkot naman iyang ganyan. Mabuti naman, tama na rin 'yung naging reaksyon," Vice President Binay said.

"Medyo konting kortesiya naman doon sa mayor," he added.

He further said that report may have come from his "friends" in politics who want to "create an issue" against him.

The vice president likewise said he was "saddened" by the fact that his daughter, Senator Nancy Binay, is being dragged into the issue.

"Bakit naman may issue pa kay Senator Nancy? Nakasabay lang doon sa convoy," he said.

'Guards volunteered to go to cops'

A Philippine Daily Inquirer report published Thursday said Mayor Binay ordered the arrest of three security guards of the posh village last November 30 after they supposedly prevented his convoy from passing through a restricted gate.

Senator Binay was aboard one of the vehicles in the convoy, the Inquirer report said.

The report quoted Makati City Police chief Supt. Manuel Lucban as saying that the three security guards were brought to the police headquarters "to verify if the permits of their firearms were in order."

Also, the report said the agency of the three guards "instructed" them to apologize to Mayor Binay.

Joey Salgado, Mayor Binay's spokesperson, belied the report on the security guards' arrest, saying that they "volunteered to go to the police."

"Nowhere in the 20-minute video did you see the convoy forcing its way through the gate. In fact, the convoy waited for the police to arrive," Salgado said in a text message to reporters.

He added that Mayor Binay "never uttered" the words "Kilala mo ba ako?" contrary to what was reported by the broadsheet.

Salgado added that the Inquirer report "relied too heavily" on an unidentified source who "gave false and malicious information."

Senator Binay also earlier described as "malicious" the Inquirer report on the incident, saying the issue has long been "settled" and "forgotten." — LBG, GMA News