VP Binay chides Alan Cayetano for exposing kid’s Instagram pics

Vice President Jejomar Binay on Friday defended the Instagram posts of his youngest daughter that were presented at a Senate hearing as proof that their family owns a controversial farm in Rosario, Batangas.

 

“Yun pong lupang 'yun, inaarkila po 'yun ng Agrifortuna. Meron hong lugar doon na pwede kang magpapicture-picture. O, ano naman ho, hindi naman 'yung picture-picture ebidensya na kami ang may-ari ng lupa,” he added.

 

During the hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee looking into corruption allegations against the Binays on Thursday, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano presented the photos posted by Joanna Marie Bianca Binay on Instagram showing her inside the sprawling property, posing in one of the statues, trying a Segway, swimming in one of the pools, and having dinner with her family. 

‘No choice’

"I didn't want to involve anyone but wala akong choice. This is the evidence. I didn't want to include the children or the friends," Cayetano said during the hearing, before proceeding with his presentation on the Instagram posts of Binay's youngest daughter.

 

The younger Binay had also posted a picture of her father singing in a videoke session. The captions ‘our place in Batangas’ and ‘family dinner at Batangas' were seen in some of the photos.

Tiangco and Bautista

 

The Vice President also criticized the subcommittee for preventing his allies, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco and lawyer JV Bautista, from addressing the inquiry on Thursday. Both men were forced out of the session hall where the hearing was held.

 

“Yung kapwa nila wala nang respeto sa protocol. Si Congressman Toby Tiangco pinaalis at balita ko binitbit pa palabas," Binay said. "Wala naman pong bago. 'Yan po ang tatak Cayetano. Akala niyo kung sino.”

 

For his part, Cayetano said Tiangco and Bautista were trying to distract the subcommittee.

 

“Alam na namin ang intention nila, mawala ang focus sa issue so hindi na namin papatulan. Sa tingin namin they’ve learned their lesson,”  he said.

 

He added that the subcommittee will only allow the spokesperson of Binay to speak if they have a letter from the latter authorizing them to speak on his behalf.

 

“Kung sila ay may sulat galing sa Vice President na sila ay official representative at makakasagot sila. Kasi kung uupo sila dun para banatan lang ang komite e welcome naman nila gawin yun sa kahit anong forum pero kung uupo sila dun para magsubmit ng ebidensiya at pwede naming tanungin sa ebidensiya, bakit po hindi. Welcome po lahat pero sundin ang order,” said Cayetano. —NB/YA, GMA News