Grace Poe signs report recommending plunder raps vs. VP Binay

Published May 29, 2015 11:35am

(Updated 2:25 p.m.) Senator Grace Poe on Friday confirmed that she had signed the Blue Ribbon subcommittee report recommending the filing of plunder raps against Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Poe is one of four senators who have signed the draft partial report of the subcommittee which is investigating allegations of corruption against the Vice President.

"I have read the subcommittee recommendation and found the same supported by documentary evidence as well as expert and personal testimonies that remain unrebutted by competent evidence to the contrary," Poe said in a text message.

"As in the PDAF inquiry, I join my colleagues in seeking further investigation by the Ombudsman of the matter and the consequent filing of the appropriate criminal complaint which in this instance appears to be plunder," she said.

The Senate has yet to officially release a copy of the draft report.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, who chairs the subcommittee, said he was leaving it up to the Blue Ribbon Committee to release the report. The blue ribbon committee is headed by Sen. Teofisto Guingona III.

At least nine of committee's 17 members need to sign the report for it to become official.

Aside from Poe, those who have signed the draft report are Pimentel and Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Antonio Trillanes IV.

Pimentel, Cayetano and Trillanes were the only senators who regularly attend the hearings on the allegations against Binay.

In a text message, Pimentel confirmed that Poe was the fourth senator to sign the draft report.

“Yes, si Grace ang fourth. That's confirmed. She signed yesterday (Thursday) after lunch time,” Pimentel said. "Kapag nag-sign, ibig sabihin agree siya sa general message or finding of the report. Pwedeng mag-disagree sa details pero ang importante ay agree sa general tenor of the report.”

VP Binay sad after Poe signed report

Binay's camp said the Vice President was saddened by Poe's siding with the senators "who were persecuting him and his family."

In a press statement, lawyer Rico Quicho said the Vice President hoped that Poe was able to read the affidavit he submitted to but was set aside by the Blue Ribbon subcommittee.

“Nalulungkot si Vice President Binay dahil mukhang pinanigan pa ni Senador Grace Poe ang mga senador na nang-usig sa kanya at sa kanyang pamilya at nang-bully ng mga inosenteng tao," Quicho said.

"Sana man lang ay nabasa ni Senador Poe ang affidavit na isinumite ng Vice President pero binalewala ng sub-committee,” he added.

Quicho said Binay explained in the affidavit his position why he thinks the accusation against him and his family were baseless.

Ties between Poe, Binay

The ties between Poe and Binay dates back to the 2004 presidential elections.

At the time, Binay served as campaign manager of Poe's father, the late Fernando Poe Jr.

During the 2013 polls, however, the Vice President's United Nationalist Alliance dropped Poe and Senators Francis Escudero and Loren Legarda as guest senatorial candidates after they skipped the party's rallies and sorties.

Poe and Binay's relationship seemed to turn sour after the neophyte senator said she does not see herself campaigning alongside the Vice President. Binay said he was considering Poe as his running mate in the 2016 presidential polls.

Meanwhile, in one of his speeches, the Vice President warned against voting “inexperienced” leaders in the 2016 polls.

Sought for comment, Poe said she believed that honesty and quality of service were also important in governance. She had also asked Binay to appear before the Senate probe on the corruption allegations hurled against him.

“Para sa akin mapapatunayan lalo 'yan (honesty) kung magpakita siya at i-esplika niya ang mga paratang laban sa kanya hindi lamang yung mga tagapagsalita niya, kasi kahit ako hindi mapapagkaila na may pinagsamahan kami, kaibigan namin siya pero hindi rin namin siya nakakausap tungkol dito. Gusto rin namin malaman,” Poe said in an earlier interview.

Poe is Binay's closest rival for the presidency based on latest surveys. — with Amita Legaspi/RSJ/NB, GMA News

Tags: gracepoe, jejomarbinay, makaticityhallbuildingii