Binay hits ex-Makati vice mayor for politicking

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay admitted over the weekend getting mad over what he described as “below the belt” attacks by senators in the congressional inquiry over his alleged undeclared properties.

Binay also slammed former Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado, saying his allegations were “pure politics.”

“I’ll be a hypocrite if I don’t tell you sometimes, I get mad. Especially it’s already foul, it’s below the belt and lying by saying that this is not politics,” Binay told reporters at the 2014 International Public Administration Conference held at the Waterfront Hotel in Davao City on Friday.

“I passed by it and most of that, especially lately, were old cases that were dismissed. They just revived it. The one who is saying about the dummy, he was the one who is taking a contract. Who’s talking with the concerned corporation?” Binay asked.

Binay said Antonio Tiu, owner of the Rosario, Batangas property which he leased for his piggery business under the name JCB farms, is willing to face Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Alan Peter Cayetano before the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee over the Batangas property ownership.

Mercado claimed Binay owned the Batangas property.

“I hope it will be balanced. When there are such charges, the explanation should be presented also. We expected that it would be revealed. What is being pictured is that it is new. Let’s wait for Mr. Antonio Tiu,” Binay said.

He said Trillanes is getting beyond the resolution that calls for the investigation on the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building 2.

“You know Trillanes. It is no longer part of the resolution. Look at what is indicated in the resolution, investigation on alleged overpricing of the building. Now, it is (becoming) personal,” Binay said.

The Vice President made the statement in reaction to Trillanes, who said there are “boxes of evidence” against Binay and his family.

Binay maintained he would only be dignifying the moro-moro (sham) investigation being conducted by Trillanes and Cayetano if he attends the hearing.

Reacting to Sen. Miriam Santiago’s warning that failure to attend the Senate hearing is an impeachable offense, Binay said they are both lawyers.

“Both of us (Santiago) are lawyers. But if you are in my shoes, if they will tell you that what you will attend is already pre-judged, if they will tell that they will just embarrass you, they will just intimidate and threaten you, when they will say that there is already a case before the Office of the Ombudsman, if I will tell that it is not in aid of legislation because what is being tackled is no longer in the resolution, are you going to attend? Do you want to be disrespected?” Binay remarked.

On the other hand, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is forming a team that would investigate the allegations against Binay.

NBI Director Virgilio Mendez said the fact-finding team would start the investigation once they get a formal directive from the Senate or Department of Justice (DOJ).

“We just heard it (from the media) and we have not received any official communication from the Senate, but there has been an initial instruction from DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima…We were given a heads up by the secretary that we prepare a team for this tasking,” Mendez said.

De Lima said the NBI will trace the whereabouts of Binay’s alleged finance officer Gerardo Limlingan, as well as Erlinda Chong, Marguerite Lichnock, Kimsfer Chong, Kim Tung Chong, Irene Chong, Imee Chong, Irish Chong, who are incorporators of Meriras Realty and Development Corp. – With Evelyn Macairan