“Yes, that is valid. As I have said, under our rules, all issues related to the investigation is delegated to the subcommittee,” Drilon told reporters in an interview.
“It is only the report of the subcommittee, which would have to be approved by the main committee,” he added.
Implicated in the alleged overpricing are Vice President Jejomar Binay, a former Makati mayor, and his son, incumbent Mayor Junjun Binay, who was councilor when the building was constructed in 2007.
On Wednesday, lawyer Claro Certeza, the younger Binay’s legal counsel, filed a manifestation before the blue ribbon committee asking that the subcommittee, headed by Senator Koko Pimentel, stops its investigation until the issue of jurisdictional challenge has been decided by the mother committee.
However, Pimentel said that since it was only a manifestation, no ruling was necessary and it will just be put on record.
But the camp of Vice President Binay is not satisfied with Pimentel’s decision, saying the committee is “railroading its own rules.”
“If a jurisdictional challenge is raised by any party, then the committee must first resolve it before proceeding to an inquiry,” he added, citing Section 2 of the Senate blue ribbon committee rules.
Meanwhile, when asked to comment on the absence of the camp of Binay during the hearings, Drilon said: “Kahapon, humingi ng paliwanag ang subcommittee kung bakit hindi naman sumipot si Mayor Junjun Binay, at ang kanyang kasamahan. Ito po ay kasama sa proseso at binigyan ng pagkakataon kung bakit hindi sinusunod ang subpoena na inisyu ng subcommittee.”
Asked if Binay could be held in contempt, Drilon said: “Iyan na nga ang hinihingan ko ng paliwanag. Let us not jump the gun. Matters of contempt will be decided by the committee as a whole.” —KBK, GMA News
