VP Binay slams senators for 'bias' in Makati probe

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Jejomar Binay said he is saddened by the partiality in the Senate investigation for his family's detractors, specifically former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado.

Binay said in a statement Tuesday afternoon following the Senate inquiry on the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall II parking building project that Mercado has admitted receiving kickbacks from it.

"Tinanggap ni Mr. Mercado na ang bintang niya sa akin ay haka-haka at ispekulasyon niya lamang. Pero sa harap ng pag-amin ni Mr. Mercado na siya ay nagdilihensya, ang gustong gawin ng ibang senador ay kanlungin pa siya," Binay said. "Dito ako nalulungkot."

Binay said that the Senate is being used as a venue to smear his name in time for his impending presidential campaign in 2016.

"Todo-todo ang kanilang paninira sa akin," he said.

He also posted tweets on his official account saying there is no hope for the Senate inquiry to have a fair judgment.

"My countrymen, I have been closely observing the proceedings at the Senate. By now, it is clear that the investigation will never be fair and impartial. Even before the investigation, some senators have already passed judgment based on mere say-so of our opponents and without any shred of concrete evidence presented," he said.

Mercado, who served as Binay's vice mayor from 2006 to 2010, claimed that the former Makati Mayor pocketed funds from the billion-peso construction project.

Mercado also claimed that the Binay family's free birthday cakes for the city's senior citizens were priced excessively high as it was Senator Nancy Binay's racket.

Binay claimed that Mercado has a reputation in Makati as a liar.

"Puro kasinungalingan ang sinabi ni Mr. Mercado. Noon pa mang kumandidato siya sa Makati kung saan siya ay natalo ay ganyan na ang kanyang mga sinasabi. Puro walang batayan at walang katotohanan," he said.

"Ito ang dahilan kung bakit siya natalo. Kilala siya ng mga taga-Makati na sinungaling at gumagawa ng kwento," the vice president added.

Binay and his son, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin "Junjun" Binay, face plunder complaints over the alleged overpriced building filed by former barangay official Renato Bondal.