He was singing his campaign jingle as he stepped out of his house on Caong Street, San Antonio, Makati City yesterday morning.
He said he wrote his “victory speech” the previous night.
United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) party standard-bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay was cool as he can be when he cast his vote at the nearby San Antonio National High School, literally a worm’s crawl away from his doorstep.
“Aba eh kagabi inihanda ko na victory speech namin. Dahil sa talagang tingin ko, palagay ko, tulad ng nakita niyo na mga nakasama ko sa pag-iikot, eh talagang mananalo tayo,” he said in a chance interview on the sidewalk.
If he wins this election, Binay will have fulfilled his longtime ambition to become president, one that he has held since he was Makati City mayor.
In fact, since being appointed as Makati chief executive by former president Corazon “Cory” Aquino in 1986, the 73-year-old Binay has never lost in an election.
“Eh ganun ang track record ko, eh di ganun parin na matatapos record ko,” the UNA chieftain boasted to reporters.
Binay, a frontrunner in popularity surveys some two years ago but has since been sullied by various corruption allegations, cast his vote at precinct 189 (0550C) at around 6:10 a.m. He was already at the school a couple of minutes before the official opening of the 2016 polls.
Binay and his son, former Makati mayor Jejomar “Junjun” Erwin Binay shaded their ballots side-by-side, with the former only taking five minutes to finish. He later said that he voted for the entire UNA as part of his obligation to his party mates.
UNA only has six official senatorial candidates, namely Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, Princess Jacel Kiram, broadcaster Rey Langit, former Special Action Force (SAF) commanders Getulio Napeñas, Parañaque City Councilor Alma Moreno and labor lawyer Alan Montaño.
When asked if he also voted for party’s six guest senatorial bets, the Vice President merely answered, “next question please”.
Binay was also the first to vote among the five presidential candidates. He declined to give a “sample” of his victory speech, saying it would kill the excitement.
Asked if he worried about tasting defeat, the Vice President said that he was concerned something else.
“Ang agam-agam ko ay sana hindi totoo na magkakaroon ng massive cheating.”
Binay, who placed fourth in terms of voter preference as per the last round of surveys went back to his abode after voting.
Interviewed inside the family residence was ex-mayor Binay, who gave insight to what has been firing up their confidence regarding the results of the polls.
“We’re done our homework and ground work. At the end of the day, we believe that this is about being organized,” he said, referring to the party’s efforts in the local government level. (ELLSON QUISMORIO)
