Former Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. yesterday formally declared his intent to reclaim his post from his sister, incumbent Mayor Mar-Len Abigail “Abby” Binay.
Junjun, together with his running mate District 1 Rep. Monsour del Rosario and 16 candidates for councilor, filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) with the local Commission on Elections (Comelec) office.
His other sister, United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) president Sen. Nancy Binay, and his lawyer Sixto Brillantes Jr., a former Comelec chairman, joined him when he submitted his COC.
All of Junjun’s group – except Del Rosario, who would run under the administration party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan – are running under the local party Una ang Makati.
Addressing around 15,000 supporters who welcomed him at the local Comelec office, Junjun said, “hindi ito tungkol sa ano ang gusto ko, o ano ang gusto ng Ate ko o ano ang gusto ng pamilya ko (This is not about that I want, or what my older sister wants, or what my family wants). My father is right, let the people of Makati decide.”
Manuel Monsour Tabib del Rosario, best known as Monsour del Rosario, is an incumbent congressman representing the first legislative district of Makati. He is popularly known as a Filipino taekwondo champion and actor starring in several Filipino and international action films. As a member of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), he has been participating in the Makati council for the first legislative district since June 30, 2010. He is the Philippine Taekwondo Association Secretary General and a Philippine Olympic National Sports Association Martial Arts Council member.