Binay, Gatchalian deny voting for Marcos Day in Senate panel

Senators Nancy Binay and Sherwin Gatchalian have denied voting for the measure instituting a holiday to mark the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos' birthday in his home province Ilocos Norte.

In separate statements, Binay said she would not support any bill that would change historical records while Gatchalian clarified that he only moved that the measure be tacked in a technical working group.

"I had to leave the hybrid hearing of the Senate committee on local government after the discussion on the re-districting of the province of Bulacan due to a prior commitment. Thus, I was no longer a part of the hearing when House Bill No. 7137 was tackled and discussed," Binay said.

"I wish to reiterate that I did not vote for the approval of the bill and will not support any bill that would cause historical revisionism," she added.

Gatchalian, on the other hand, said there was no voting which happened at the committee level.

"I did not vote for the approval of the proposed Marcos Day in Ilocos Norte contrary to what some media organizations published. I merely moved to have the bill, along with other local bills, tackled by the Local Government Committee in last Monday’s hearing, subjected to further study by the technical working group," Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian said that placing the bills under TWG did not mean that it had been approved.

"Records of the proceedings can confirm that no “voting” took place in the said hearing.  I hope this clarifies the misleading news," Gatchalian said. -NB, GMA News