Binay faces Ombudsman panel for graft case

Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay on Tuesday appeared at the preliminary conference proceedings at the Office of the Ombudsman for the graft case filed against him by former Makati councilor Oscar Ibay. Binay also stood as lawyer to defend himself, along with the other counsels. Ibay was likewise present in the proceedings that began at 9 a.m. and ended at 10:35 a.m. Even at the start, Binay scored victory when he got the Ombudman panel to just hear the administrative aspect of the case as stated in the notice, and not include the criminal aspect. Earlier, Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro said that since the same pieces of evidence will be presented for both the administration and criminal aspect of the case, the hearing for both will be conducted simultaneously. Binay also scored at the panel for saying that it will require Ibay to confirm the document he had filed will be given to the respondents of the case as basis for their counter-affidavits. "Paano ako na-suspend? Bakit ngayon mo lang pala ipapa-confirm [yung mga dokumento]," Binay told the five-man panel of the Ombudsman. (How was I suspended? Why are you reminding us just now about the documents) When Binay also suggested that the Ombudsman should also wait for the other respondents to receive copies of the complaint before the hearing for all of them begins, Casimiro said: "We should not translate this as a political harassment. We are doing this to know that truth. the people should know the truth ... so please cooperate." However, Binay quick to react, saying he never mentioned "political harassment" in his argument. - GMANews.TV