Wealth begets wealth as is evident yet again in the latest win na win incident involving Makati City Representative Abigail Binay-Campos, daughter of Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay. According to an Inquirer.net report some politicians have all the luck…
It seems like another lucky day for Makati City Representative Mar-Len Abigail Binay-Campos when she won a condominium unit in the Christmas raffle of a high-end mall.
According to the Facebook page of Rockwell Power Plant Mall in Makati, the lawmaker supposedly won a studio unit of “The Grove,” a posh residential condominium by Rockwell Land Corp. in Pasig City.
As expected, “netizens” are at an uproar. Presumably the digital “outrage” surrounds speculation that there was some inappropriate methods used in picking of the “winner” in this raffle.
Is it even appropriate for an officer of the Makati City government to be in a contest organised by a business domiciled within the jurisdiction of said city?
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The author of that Inquirer article made it a point to cite a few factoids surrounding Binay’s wealth, citing that “In the summary list of representatives’ statements of assets and liabilities net worth, Rep. Binay has a net worth of P41.2 million in 2012.”
Nice to know. But is it relevant?
Most netizens apparently assume that the Binays “own” Makati and, as such, have sufficient access to many wealth creation opportunities not too many ordinary citizens enjoy. The more important question, however, is whether being a participant in such a raffle, much more bieng a winner in it is a question of propriety or even legality.
Abangan ang susunod na kabanata.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
I am of the belief that her participation in the raffle isn’t a problem. The problem is that she’s a government official with a high profile fellow government official of a father.
Then of course there’s all the problems in government at present to think about.
If this is some sort of payment or bribe, then it is a really stupid one.
Does Binay need to be part of the raffle? Does she need to even win from the raffle? Why not let others have the opportunity to win the prize?
Mailman,
Is it appropriate then to discriminate against YOU personally because of who you are or that you happen to have a certain family name? Do we know for certain that the raffle was fixed? The essence of our free and democratic society is that opportunity exists for all or it does not exist at all. Prove first that there was fraud or at the very least that it was unfair. You may not like the Binays but how does that qualify as proof that they should be universally condemned.
What happened to the “anti-dynasty” legislation that was introduced in the Congress?
Sea Bee,
Just to clarify — the 1987 constitution already specifies that dynasties are illegal. What is needed is a formal definition of the designation ‘dynasty.’ Accordingly, because these guidelines for implementing that constitutional provision still haven’t been acted on by Congress since Cory Aquino’s administration, the oligarchy continue to act with impunity, transmitting their political positions and economic advantages from one generation to the next.
I am of the belief that, while there is probably no legal impediment to Ms. Binay-Campos’s participation in the raffle, if she had even a smidgen of delicadeza she would have asked that her prize be declared forfeit so that some other not-quite-as-fortunate individual may stand to benefit. If she had done so the day she learned that she won, not only would it have significantly lessened the outrage she is now receiving, but it would have likely even improved many people’s opinion of her. I mean, what exactly is more important to her (and by extension, the familia Binay) right now: another condo unit (which we all know they have in spades), or the betterment of the public’s impression of her and her clan?
Honestly, that should be a no-brainer.
Binays own a unit in every posh condominium in Makati as a “gift” to them. I wonder why they have to make it appear as a raffle draw.. ah! taxes.
What people should be asking is: How can somebody having lived with her parents up until she was 25 years old, who has a total 10 years work experience as junior legal partner of the Mabini Human Rights advocates, the law offices of former Sen. Rene Saguisag and 5 years member of the House of Representatives be able to acquire a net worth of P41.2 million as of 2012? That is not to say she magicked her money, but one thing is clear, Binay certainly learned the tricks of the trade fast and easy.
Having said that, what the heck is Gloria Arroyo doing in jail if she’s not proven guilty?
A toothless karaoke queen from tondo winning the lopez raffle wouldn’t have done much for property prices and future unit sales, but would have been a better story.
And to abigail binay who lives in notorious binaygate dasmarinas, a cheap condo is so downmarket.
With it also being binay’s 4th win ( not all condos), she should give up her non-job as another absentee congresswoman and try her remarkable ability in ‘little philippines’ in vegas.
So if binay is not in the category ‘desperate poor’ i guess that puts her in the ‘greedy rich’, or maybe ‘lucky politician!’, and am sure ex-mayor lim who won the manila lottery can relate to that.
Did Representative Binay reimbursed the cost of the raffle ticket and charged it under her congressional office as an expense? If she did, that winning belongs to her district, but if not she has the rightfull claim to it.
Must have spent millions shopping at Rockwell mall.
Can YOU spell Money laundering?
M-o-n-e-y l-a-u-n-d-e-r-i-n-g, nice huh?
is it a coincidence that this fraud of a politician “WON” anything? or is this just another in a long line of frauds that this Woman is part of?
A weatherman is not needed to know which way the wind blows and in the jet-stream of Philippine politics it is just as common as drinking a beer to a longshoreman after work(Oh, alright…during work!). Even if an ‘investigation’ were to be launched it would just be another in a long line of well choreographed bull-shit stories that, by now ,are as boring as they are predictable, Er, I mean despicable?
Like parents like children.
This is what a Binay Presidency will be like!
“GREED” + “LIES” = A MALFORMED CONSCIENCE! SURPRISE?