Binay wants Miriam as VP

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Vice President Jejomar Binay is considering Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago to be his running mate in the 2016 elections.

Former Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, a member of the United Nationalist Alliance’s (UNA) Search committee, said on Wednesday (August 5) that he discussed the possibility of Santiago becoming Binay’s running mate with Jun Santiago, the senator’s husband.

“Ang sagot ni Jun, na very good friend of mine, iyong decision for the good senator to run whether president or Vice president will be subject to the clearance of the cancer doctor that's in town,” Suarez said.

[Translation: "Jun, who is a very good friend of mine, said that the decision for the good senator to run whether for president or vice president will be subject to the clearance of the cancer doctor that’s in town."]

“Apparently, a week ago or two weeks ago, she was given a clean bill of health, okay na siya [she’s okay],” Suarez added.

Read: Sen. Santiago targets running for presidency in 2016

According to Suarez, the senator’s husband also told him that while Santiago has been given a clean bill of health already, they are still waiting on how her body will react to the new medications that will be given to her to improve her resistance.

Santiago recently announced that she survived her stage 4 lung cancer and is now considering the possibility of running for presidency.

Suarez is convinced that Santiago will be a good candidate, having a strong youth following, especially in social media.