MANILA - A rift between the children of former Vice President Jejomar Binay, which erupted into an altercation inside a church this weekend, is rooted in strained ties with the husband of incumbent Makati Mayor Abigail "Abby" Binay, her sister said Monday.

Abby and her brother Junjun Binay, who are both running for Makati's top post, quarreled at the San Ildefonso Parish over the weekend, disrupting an election forum.

• Binay siblings trade accusations of 'hurtful, violent' comments after church row

Junjun said their argument started when her sister falsely accused him of linking her husband, Makati Rep. Luis Campos to the narcotics trade.

"Pinandidilatan niya ako. She was so fired up when she was giving her speech. And then when she sat down, makikita mo galit na galit siya. Anlaki ng mata niya. Sinasabi niya, 'Sinungaling ka. Sinasabi mo nag-da-drugs si Luis,'" Junjun said.

He said he told her sister: "Ate Ab, wala akong sinabi dito na nagda-drugs 'yung asawa mo."

Abby, however, insisted that TV cameras recorded his alleged admission.

Sen. Nancy Binay said that she chastised her brother after the incident, saying "there is no explanation that would make that incident correct."

"Pareho kayong talo diyan. Pangit. Sana hindi nangyari. Pero naiintindihan ko ang posisyon niya na tao lang siya na nasaaktan din. I know the history na kinikimkim niya. I know the history," she said.

However, she also said she is backing the electoral bid of her brother because she personally sees that her sister failed to deliver on the services in Makati that made their father famous.

"Hindi porke't may away kami (ni Abby) kaya hindi ko siya sinusuportahan. Pinili ko [si Junjun] kasi nakikita ko sa baba hindi niya (Abby) tinuloy 'yung serbisyo na kilala 'yung pangalan namin," she said.

A RIFT WITH SIBLINGS

In the interview, the senator said it was not true that their personal rift with Abby started when the latter started studying in the University of the Philippines-Los Baños in Laguna province.

• Abby admits she's 'lone wolf' in Binay family; sees reconciliation after polls

"Our personal rift started when she (Abby) started dating iyung asawa n'ya ngayon. Sabi ko nga, ano iyung pinag-awayan nila last Saturday? Siya (Campos) pa rin," said

(Our personal rift started when she started dating her husband. I've said this, what did they fight about last Saturday? It was still him.)

"That started the rift because I've been hearing not so nice things about him when they were dating. As a sister, I want the best for my sisters, I'm the eldest. I think minasama niya iyun," she added.

(I think she took it badly.)

Nancy said her family "tried accepting" Campos and was "civil" towards him.

Campos and Abby, however, stopped speaking to them and skipped the family's weekly lunches since 2016, which made it "harder for us to mend things," said Nancy.

"Feeling ko nga kumbaga para iyang connecting rooms, iyung side nila, kinandado na nila iyung kuwarto," she said.

(I feel that our relationship is like connecting rooms, they locked their side of the room.)