Makati mayor can appeal Senate ruling on jurisdictional challenge

MANILA, Philippines - Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. can still appeal the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee’s dismissal of his jurisdiction challenge.

Blue Ribbon chairman Teofisto Guingona III said the subcommittee’s decision could still be reviewed and even reversed.

Binay filed the  jurisdictional challenge before the subcommittee on three grounds: lack of jurisdiction to determine violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Plunder Law; grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction by issuing a subpoena ad testificandum based on the bare allegations made by former Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado; and grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction by violating the rights of Binay due to the prejudgment and bias of the subcommittee.

Ruling against Binay, the subcommittee chaired by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said the Blue Ribbon committee has jurisdiction over matters involving malfeasance or misfeasance of public officials.

Binay and his sister, Sen. Nancy Binay countered that the ruling on the jurisdiction challenge must be made by the Blue Ribbon committee as a whole, not by the subcommittee alone.

Guingona said the matter could be brought up to the Blue Ribbon committee proper for review.

“Because it’s the subcommittee you can bring it up to the mother committee,” he said.

However, Guingona said he has not received anything related to the jurisdictional challenge.

The ruling could still change if it is appealed “because the mother committee can overrule a subcommittee (decision),” he added.

Guingona said in general terms though, the Blue Ribbon committee has the right to conduct investigations in aid of legislation.

The Supreme Court could only rule against the Blue Ribbon committee if it involves the violation of the rights of an individual, he added.