Nancy Binay sorry for siblings' word war

MANILA -- Former Makati Mayor Junjun Binay and incumbent Abigail "Abby" Binay on Sunday blamed "violent" and "hurtful" comments by the each other's camp for their quarrel that disrupted an election forum this weekend.

Abby, who is running for mayor against Junjun, called on her opponents to stop spreading lies during the forum at Makati's San Ildefonso Parish on Saturday.

After returning to her seat beside Junjun, Abby appeared to talk angrily to her younger brother. Both then raised their voices, with Junjun later standing up and kneeling in front of Abby.

Their father former Vice President Jejomar Binay, and Makati Police chief Pablo Simon, tried to pacify the siblings.

Junjun later said he was upset with how the forum turned out, drawing cheers and boos from the crowd, who were told by police to leave the venue.

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In a statement, Abby said her brother "said hurtful things to me."

"May masasakit na sinabi sa akin ang kapatid ko noong kami ay magkatabi sa forum. Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggagaling ang galit nya," she said.

(My brother said hurtful things to me while we were beside each other during the forum. I don't know where his anger comes from.)

"I pray that he finds peace of mind and releases the anger that seems to have clouded his words and deeds," she added.

JUNJUN EXPLAINS

The younger Binay, meanwhile, said that he got "a violent and unreasonable response" from his sister after he claimed that the police and civilian security of a local official "should not be drinking and escorting the number one drug lord of Makati."

"For some reason, she (Abby) felt that I was alluding to her husband, Rep. Luis Campos, and consequently—despite my attempts to pacify her—she threatened to sue me for libel and repeatedly directed derogatory and disrespectful statements at my person," said Junjun in a Facebook post.

Junjun also said he was sitting quietly when Abby allegedly called him a liar as she returned to her seat after her speech.

"Sinubukan ko pa sya awatin pero nagpatuloy ang pag sigaw at panduduro nya sa akin," he said.

(I tried to stop her but she continued yelling and jabbing her finger at me.)

APOLOGIES

Junjun apologized to the San Ildefonso parish priest Fr. Antonio Molavin and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, which organized the forum.

Sen. Nancy Binay, eldest among the siblings, also apologized for the incident.

"Humihingi ako ng sorry sa nangyari. At the end of the day, pagkatapos ng May 13 election, magkakapatid pa din kami, isang pamilya pa din kami," she said in a chance interview

(I apologize for what happened. At the end of the day, after the May 13 election, we are still siblings, we are still family.)

Sanator Nancy Binay humingi ng paumanhin sa away sa Mayoralty Forum sa Makati kagabi ng kaniyang mga kapatid na sina Mayor Abigail Binay at dating Mayor Jun Jun Binay. #halalan2019 pic.twitter.com/HLQcKZfbql

— Abner Mercado (@AbnerMercado) April 28, 2019

Abby earlier apologized to parishioners and the PPCRV, but reiterated in her statement that she "will never tire of talking about my performance as mayor and my plans for the city."

"With two weeks left before the election, I wish that my brother and his supporters will do the same. Itigil na sana nila ang paninira at kasinungalingan," she said.

(May they stop their defamation and lies.)

Five of 6 Makati mayoral candidates were present in Saturday's forum: the Binay sibilings, Rene Bondal, Wilfredo Talag, and Ricky Yabut.