Members of the Senate Blue Ribbon Sub-Committee investigating the alleged overpricing of a 12-story building for the University of Makati’s nursing school watch a presentation on Monday. The building’s construction cost of P1.140 billion is alleged to be overpriced to benefit then mayor Jejomar Binay back in 2007. (MNS Photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senate President Franklin Drilon on Saturday dismissed as “totally unfounded” the accusations of the camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay that the administration party is using government agencies’ resources, including the Anti-Money Laundering Council, in preparation for the 2106 polls.
“The insinuation is that the Liberal Party influences the AMLC or the Anti-Money Laundering Council, which is totally, totally unfounded,” Drilon, vice chair of the ruling Liberal Party (LP), said.
“(AMLC’s members) are all professionals. Do you think these people will tarnish their reputations by being tainted with politicians and political parties? I don’t think anybody in their right mind will ever say that,” he said.
Joey Salgado, VP Binay’s chief media officer, earlier accused the LP of using government resources to malign Vice President Binay, whose intention to run for president in 2016 is no secret to the public.
Drilon said Binay’s camp should just focus on efforts in answering corruption allegations against the Vice President.
“Medyo masalimuot ang mga lumalabas sa AMLC at natural lamang ng mga tinatamaan na ginagamit ito sa pulitika. Mas mabuti siguro kung sagutin na lang, kung hindi man totoo ang mga nakasulat doon ay e, ‘di sagutin. Rather than you know, these allegations na, ‘pulitika lang lahat’,” he said.
Based on AMLC’s recommendation, the Court of Appeals had ordered the freeze of more than 240 bank accounts linked to Binay, members of his family, and his alleged dummies.
But Binay had said he only has five bank accounts.
On the other hand, Drilon said the Binay camp could have used the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee as a venue to air its side on the accusations against the Vice President.
“If there was cooperation from the witnesses, hindi yan aabot ng 20 hearings, eh. Kung sila ay haharap sa Senado at magpapaliwanag, siguro ay sa [limang] hearings [lang] ay tapos na ito,” Drilon said.
Moreover, the Senate leader said Binay’s camp has no right to complain about the expenses incurred by the subcommittee because of the hearings on the alleged corruption in the Makati City government.
“If they just cooperated with the Senate and appeared, and made their statements, they we will not be prolonging this investigation…The refusal to confront these information that came before the Senate, we have no choice but to keep on dig in,” he added.
Drilon meanwhile said that he has yet to see the blue ribbon subcommittee report recommending plunder charges against VP Binay.
“Bilang pangulo ng Senado, isinusumite sa akin ang report, at yan po ay ipinapa-calendar sa plenaryo…but I haven’t seen it yet,” he said.
Four senators, including Binay’s close friend, Senator Grace Poe, have signed the subcommittee report. The three others are Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Aquilino Pimentel III, and Antonio Trillanes IV. (MNS)