Palace denies hand in Binay ill-gotten wealth issue

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang is washing its hands of the ill-gotten wealth issue against Vice President Jejomar Binay even if a member of the Cabinet has provided assistance to senators investigating the matter.

“We again go to the basic principle of he who alleges must prove the same. We’re not aware of any moves by anyone in government. We are not using government resources as to how these are being revealed,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said yesterday.

Administration Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV showed to the public pictures of him and Agrarian Reform Secretary Gil delos Reyes checking the vast farm of the Binay family in Rosario, Batangas during the Senate hearing on the issue.

“Like you (media), this is the first time we are looking at the video presentation of (former Makati) Vice Mayor (Ernesto) Mercado,” Lacierda said. “We can say categorically that we are not involved in any way”

He also rejected insinuations that Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Binay’s possible rival in the 2016 presidential elections, is involved in pinning down the Vice President on the ill-gotten wealth issue.

“We will not comment on his (Binay’s) statement that it (Senate investigation) is politically motivated. That is a strategy that he employs on his part and so we won’t comment on that. But if you are asking us if we are involved in any way in this matter, no we are not,” he said.

“I would suppose it would be up to their camp to weigh whether that is a good enough response for the public to appreciate. But again, we would leave it to the camp of Vice President Binay and also to the public to appreciate the manner of their defense,” he pointed out.

He also declined to say whether the Palace would support a lifestyle check on Binay.

“I’m not in a position to answer for Vice President Binay, but my recollection of his previous statements is that he is open to a lifestyle check. So, again, as to the manner of how that lifestyle check will be conducted, we will again also defer to Vice President Binay,” he said.