The Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee will once again invite Vice President Jejomar Binay to attend its inquiry into allegations of corruption in Makati City after a former ally accused the longtime mayor owning a 350-hectare property in Rosario, Batangas.
The Senate investigation was initially called to look into the alleged overpricing in the constructio of the P2.7-billion Makati City Hall Building II.
The Vice President was first invited to the hearing after Mercado claimed that 13 percent of the cost of every project in Makati went to Binay’s pocket while he was the mayor of the city.
Binay didn’t attend the hearing.
His son, incumbent Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, who was subpoenaed to attend the inquiry, has since questioned the subcommittee’s jurisdiction. The jurisdictional challenge was junked on Wednesday.
Mercado during the hearing on Wednesday presented to the Senate photographs and an aerial video of the Batangas property allegedly belonging to Binay.
Mercado added that the overpricing done by a contractor in projects in Makati City was in part meant to cover for the unpaid improvements Binay’s wife wanted through the years in the Batangas property.
Binay’s camp has denied ownership of the 350-hectare property and the improvements that included mansions, an English formal garden, a swimming pool, a 40-car garage and staff house, an orchid garden, an aviary, a cock farm, among others.
Lawyer JV Bautista, secretary general of United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), said Binay would air his side as regards the issue but added it would not be before the subcommittee.
“Ang atin naman pong Pangalawang Pangulo, hindi naman tumatakbo dun sa pagpapaliwanag sa mga issues. Lamang, ayaw niya ho dito. Hindi ho dito. ‘Wag dito sa loob nitong sub-committee dahil nakita n’yo naman dito sa sub-committee na ‘to eh para hong hari itong tatlong senador eh. Kung ano lang ang gusto nilang sabihin ‘yun lang ang pwede,” he told reporters after the hearing.
Asked where the Vice President would say his piece, Bautista said Binay would speak directly to the people.
“Sa publiko. Diretso sa taumbayan…. Ang gusto po ng Pangalawang Pangulo ay makapagpaliwanag sa taumbayan diretso. That is why he is addressing the nation directly. Pinaliliwanag po niya punto per punto. Hindi naman ho siya kinakailangang pumunta pa sa Senado para magawa yun sapagkat kumpleto naman po tayo sa media,” Bautista said.
He added that the members of subcommittee weren’t giving Binay the courtesy due his office.
“They (members of the subcommittee) are taunting the Vice President. They are not extending the proper courtesy and protocol to the second highest official of the land. Kung mangusap sila akala mo mayor lang ‘yung kausap nila, mayor lang ng isang siyudad tapos sila senador,” Bautista said. —NB, GMA News
