Top officials of property developer Alphaland Crop. skipped on Thursday the continuation of the Senate probe on the controversial land deal it entered into with the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, which supposedly benefited Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Alphaland president Mario Oreta was not able to attend the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee hearing due to “medical reasons,” his lawyer told the panel.
To this, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, who is heading the investigation, commented, “Medical reasons? He doesn’t want to hear the opinion of Commissioner [Kim] Henares?”
Alphaland owner Roberto Ongpin was also absent during the hearing. He is currently in Europe, according to his lawyer.
Binay’s camp has repeatedly said that Mercado’s accusations are politically motivated.
