Senator Francis Escudero, Chairperson Committee on Finance, along with Senator Nancy Binay, presides the deliberation of the 2015 proposed budget of the Commission on Election (COMELEC) on Tuesday (August 26,2014) at the Senate Building in Pasay City. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Members of the minority bloc led by Senator Vicente Sotto III on Thursday boycotted the continuing investigation by the Senate blue ribbon sub-committee on the P2.7-billion Makati City Hall Building 2.
At the fifth hearing of the Senate probe, only the same administration allies led by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV attended the hearing.
Aside from Sotto, Senator Juan Victor “JV” Ejercito also kept out of the probe hearing because he did not want to recognize the “telenovela” against Vice President Jejomar Binay.
“Tulad nang posisyon ni Senator Sotto, hindi na rin ako dadalo kasi sabi nga nya, we are just justifying the probe,” Ejercito said.
In an interview last Thursday, Sotto said he will not attend the Senate probe to avoid “justifying” the investigation.
Solons meeting witnesses
Meanwhile, Senator Nancy Binay criticized her colleagues who summoned witnesses to their offices for initial validation as resource person in the investigation.
Binay said that if she followed the example of Trillanes, who allegedly summoned some witnesses to his office for “initial evaluation” of his supposed knowledge on the alleged anomalies, she will be criticized.
“So you mean to say, kunyari ‘yung si Hechanova paakyatin ko sa office ko hindi nila gagawing issue ‘yun? ‘Di ba? Para i-evaluate ko? ‘Di ba? (If I ask Hechanova up to my office, won’t they make it an issue? Right? For me to evaluate? Right?)” Binay said, referring to Engineer Mario Hechanova, former head of Makati City’s General Services Department and vice chairman of Bids and Awards Committee who testified to the corrupt practices at the Makati City Hall.
That would be influencing the witness, she said.
Binay also blasted colleagues for presenting witnesses in the probe who do not have direct knowledge in the construction of the alleged overpriced building.
“Hindi ko alam kung kailangan pa nilang mag-introduce ng bagong character sa teleserye (I don’t know if they need to introduce new characters in the teleserye),” Binay said.
Since she herself did not attend the hearing from day one, Binay said she supported the move made by the minority bloc to boycott the hearing. (MNS)