Binay camp to Senate: Bring evidence to ombudsman

MANILA, Philippines - The camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay yesterday renewed its challenge to the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee to wrap up its probe on his alleged ill-gotten wealth and bring the issue to court.

Joey Salgado, media affairs head of the Office of the Vice President, issued the statement amid calls from Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago to turn over the investigation to the Office of the Ombudsman.

“That’s what we have been saying from the start. If they are confident in their so-called evidence and the credibility of their supposed witnesses, they should bring it to court,” Salgado said.

Salgado, however, said the senators conducting the hearings might not follow Defensor’s advice because their agenda is motivated by politics, specifically to destroy Binay.

Salgado, meanwhile, disagreed with Santiago’s statement that the evidence presented during a subcommittee hearing, including the audio recording of Binay’s interview and photos of his youngest daughter in a social networking site, are enough to indict him.

Santiago said on Thursday the testimony of blogger and journalist Raissa Robles last Oct. 30 that Binay told her in an interview that he had bought the Batangas property and the Instagram posts by Binay’s youngest daughter Joanna Marie could be used as evidence.

“They cannot be considered as evidence in a court of law. On the audio recording, the Vice President was referring to the time he and Mrs. (Elenita) Binay were majority owners of Agrifortuna. The corporation did purchase property. However, the Vice President divested it in 1994,” Salgado explained.

“As to the photos, they do not prove ownership. The Binays have never denied using the facilities in Rosario because they were leasing. It’s like an apartment. You are leasing it, you are not the owner but you call it ‘your place’ or ‘our place’ and entertain visitors,” he said.

Binay skipped the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing last Thursday, saying it was “useless” to attend such probe because of the demeanor of three senators leading it.

Binay has repeatedly accused Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Alan Peter Cayetano of using the inquiry to derail his chances in the 2016 presidential elections.

A public debate between Binay and Trillanes, however, will take place on Nov. 27.

Binay said he will answer Trillanes’ allegations point by point.