Nancy Binay dismisses Senate blue ribbon hearings as publicity stunt

Senator Nancy Binay on Sunday dismissed the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee’s hearings on the allegations of corruption against Vice President Binay as a “publicity stunt” by lawmakers where her family cannot expect fair treatment.

 

In an interview over dzBB radio, Binay said she can’t fathom why subpanel chair Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III still wants her father to attend hearings when the vice president already submitted an eight-page affidavit last November denying any irregularities in the projects he implemented as Makati City mayor.

 

She believes Pimentel has ulterior motives in urging her father to show up at the hearings, the next of which is scheduled on Tuesday, July 7.

 

“Ginagawa na kaming publicity stunt ng subcommittee. Kailangan nilang mapag-usapan kaya nila siya (Vice President Binay) iniimbita kahit nakasagot na siya... It’s so obvious na lahat ng nakikilahok diyan ay may personal na interes laban sa ating VP,” he said.

 

In a letter sent to the Office of the Vice President last week, Pimentel again invited Binay to show up at the subcommittee’s probe, saying it could be the vice president’s “final chance” to air his side on the allegations raised against him.

 

"This may be your final chance to address point by point all the issues and allegations hurled against you in the course of the proceedings,” Pimentel said of the upcoming July 7 hearing. “I most respectfully suggest that you attend, because only the truth can set you free."

 

Vice President Binay had earlier sent Pimentel a letter challenging him to “man up” after the senator called for an audit of the government housing agencies that Binay headed until he resigned from the Cabinet.

 

The Senate subcommittee’s hearings, which began in August 2014, has branched out from investigating the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building II to accusations that Vice President Binay was involved in other questionable deals and has amassed ill-gotten wealth.

 

Technical knockout

 

Echoing previous statements made by other members of the vice president's camp, Sen. Binay maintained that the Senate is not the right venue for her father to discuss the issues against him.

 

“Kita naman natin na hindi patas ang pagtrato sa mga resource persons sa hearing. Kapag favorable ang sinasabi tungkol sa aming pamilya, tinatakot at dinuduro nila pero pag laban sa amin, kulang na lang ibigay ang lahat ng oras sa kanila para kami’y siraan,” she said.

 

The vice president’s daughter said she expects the hearings to continue until her colleagues have achieved their “ultimate goal” of making him shelve his plans to run for president.

 

“Gusto nilang hindi makapagsilbi si VP Binay sa ating mga mamamayan kaya paulit-ulti nila siyang sinisiraan through the subcommittee hearing. It’s the only way they know para manalo sila-- ang idaan si VP Binay sa technical knockout,” she said.

 

'No right to complain'

 

While Pimentel admitted he does not expect the vice president to show up at Tuesday’s hearing, he said Binay’s camp should stop whining to the media that they weren’t given a chance to air their side.

 

“Hindi natin bibigyan ng meaning [kung hindi man magpaunlak] si VP Binay sa ating imbitasyon except ang masasabi ko lang ay huwag siyang magreklamo na hindi siya mako-quote sa aming report. Kung sinasabi niyang nasa affidavit niya ang sagot, dapat sumipot siya sa hearing at i-highlight niya sa amin kung anong mahalaga doon kasi noong binasa ko naman ‘yun, wala namang nakapagpabago sa isip ko,” he said in a separate radio interview.

 

Pimentel said the subpanel will continue its investigation on Tuesday on the alleged irregularities in the deal between the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and Makati City, the supposed questionable transactions at the Pag-Ibig Fund, as well as the partnership between the University of Makati College of Nursing and Systems Technology Institute (STI).

 

Contrary to Sen. Binay’s belief, Pimentel said the Senate investigations are aimed at finding out the truth regarding the allegations against Binay, and determining the necessity of crafting new legislation to address loopholes in the relevant laws.

 

He said Binay’s drop from being the frontrunner to second place in pre-election surveys on possible presidential candidates should not be blamed on the Senate subpanel’s hearings.

 

“From the very start, hindi kasalanan ng Senate subcommittee ang pagbaba ng ratings ni VP Binay… Kung bumaba man ang rating niya, dapat i-blame ito ng kampo niya sa di nila pagpunta sa mga hearings,” he said. — JDS, GMA News