Why Binay quit

A House inquiry is now poised against our Southeast Asian Games participation this year. Here we go again!

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Of course, we all know by now how dismally our athletes did in the Singapore edition of the SEAG, and how, after titillating us with the prospect of 40 to 50 gold medals, our teams came home, again, with a measly 29, said to be the same as last year's “accomplishment”. Does this mean that there was no improvement at all, and that our sports officials were just “singing in the rain” or trying to justify their junket there?

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And why is Congress getting into this now? Well, a party list member, probably as appalled as we and all others who take pride in our athletes and sports performances, expressed his reaction very clearly by calling it an “utterly embarrassing performance”. Which it was, don't you think? The congressman, identified as Joseller Guiang, had voiced out what so many others also believe. And he claims to have made his conclusion after analyzing the performance and preparation of our delegation.

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For one, he blames the National Sports Association (NSA) leaders, the officials of the sports where we competed, for apparently taking things too easy, or believing that there was no need to improve the training, the technology and strengths of our athletes. For him, as reported by a sports columnist, the NSAs seemed to think that those who had won medals, especially golds, before, would just repeat their performance, without considering that their opponents would train harder and strive more to beat them.

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And, this should be funny if it weren't so shocking and shameful, the country's top sports officials are even thinking of offering to host the games in 2019, when they heard that Brunei, the scheduled host, was backing out! What kind of people are we, masochists? As cited in the national dailies, the old, old man of sports, who happens to be the President's uncle, even if they are reportedly not on very good terms as far as sports are concerned, had this brainstorm because it will cost the country “only P500 million!”

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That came from Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, who has probably been witness to all the debacles our delegations have suffered all those years, and, piped up another male Pollyana, Philippine Sports Commission's Richie Garcia, the P500 million “will not be an expense but an investment”. Investment in what, further humiliation? Why are we begging for so much punishment where sports are concerned? Oh, and Cojuangco was also quoted as recalling that we had also hosted the SEAG in 2005 with meager funding.

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2005! Does that ring a bell, especially near the ears of some local sportsmen? When the Philippines played host and some events were played in Bacolod, and the “meager” amount of P55 million was allocated to the city? And the amount landed in the personal bank account of the local official in charge, who, until now, has not fully accounted for it, and is facing charges at the Ombudsman for it? Does Uncle Peping also remember that?

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Vice President Binay has issued a series of statements supposedly to give his side and titled “WHY I QUIT”. He did give a number of reasons, foremost among them that there is a plot to unseat him and jail; him before the elections. Was that a plot? Seems those were expected to be natural consequences, in case he is unable to refute all those ugly charges against him, and show that his name, and that of his entire family, are as white as snow. If he cannot do that, and the charges stick, and the law takes its course, why, then, for sure he will be unseated, and be sent to jail!

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But some people give other reasons for why he gave up his cabinet post in the present administration, where he began as one of its fair-haired boys. They say he quit because he still does not want to answer the charges against him. He quit because he refuses to face his accusers in the Senate squarely, look them all in the eye, and confound them with irrefutable proof of his innocence in all those claims of unexplained wealth, overpricing, and so forth. Malacañang has commented that he could have discussed his recent action with the President who seems to still have a soft spot for him. What? And lose the golden opportunity of headline attention, media mileage, and probably more sympathy from the beneficiaries of his generosity in Makati and all over the country?*

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