Binay: I have already explained myself

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay sees no need to attend the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearings on various allegations against him, saying he had already explained himself on numerous occasions.

“Those who act blind do not want to see, those who act deaf do not want to hear,” Binay told The STAR yesterday.

He cited his televised speech on Sept. 18, a media interview and a meeting with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

Asked about his decision not to attend the Senate hearings, Binay said the tone of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV has not changed despite the promise of Blue Ribbon committee chairman  Teofisto Guingona III that he would be accorded the courtesies befitting the office of the vice president.

“The way Trillanes speaks did not change,” Binay said in Filipino. “He can’t be controlled.”

Binay reiterated yesterday his answers to the allegations against him, including the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall annex building.

“You cannot compare apples with oranges,” he said, maintaining that it should not be compared to private buildings as it is a government structure.

Binay dubbed as “desperate” the latest claim of Mercado regarding his supposed ownership of various condominium units.

“He is very desperate… He’s telling a lot of lies,” Binay said.

He denied personally knowing Ariel Olivar, who earlier claimed to be his dummy and allowed the use of his name for a condominium unit.

Mercado admitted yesterday that Olivar is his cousin.

No face-off with Mercado

Binay ignored yesterday Mercado’s challenge to a face-off at the Senate or any public forum to tackle issues against them.

“The VP prefers to focus on his work than debate with liars, perjurers and paid hacks of the desperate opposition to the VP,” Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla, Binay’s spokesman for political affairs, said in a statement.

Binay told The STAR that he regretted having trusted Mercado.

“I don’t know if that is my strength or weakness, that I easily trust people,” he said.

Mercado said he is ready to face Binay in a public forum, whether  in the Senate or elsewhere.

He has made various corruption allegations against Binay, including pocketing kickbacks for the construction of buildings in Makati.

Tiangco urged yesterday the Department of Justice (DOJ) to confirm Mercado’s “secret” trip to the US.

“No government agency would want to confirm that Mercado left for the US last Nov. 18. What are they hiding with his departure?” Tiangco said.

He said the reluctance of government agencies like the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to confirm Mercado’s departure substantiates perceptions that the investigation on Makati projects is a “sham” meant to bring down the Binay family.

Tiangco said his sources told him that the DOJ allowed Mercado to travel to the US to visit his ailing wife.

However, Tiangco said Mercado’s trip had other reasons.

Tiangco said he understands that Mercado is free to travel since rules of the witness protection program (WPP) made no restrictions on his movement. – With Helen Flores