Ombudsman probes Binay daughter

MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman is investigating Makati Rep. Mar-len Abigail Binay-Campos, daughter of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Deputy Ombudsman Gerard Mosquera has issued a subpoena to Lourdes Jayme, accounting service chief of the House of Representatives, seeking authenticated documents pertaining to Rep. Binay’s gross earnings as a congresswoman and her travel orders.

The documents being sought include a certificate of yearly compensation, paid expense vouchers, journal vouchers, checks, report of collections and disbursements and other similar supporting papers relating to salaries, bonuses, allowances and other remuneration from 2007 to 2014.

Report on salaries and allowances, including supporting documents, approved authority to travel/travel orders and liquidation statements and supporting documents relative to said travel/s were also subpoenaed.

As required by its rules, the House has included Mosquera’s subpoena duces tecum in its order of business. The release of documents pertaining to members requires the consent of the House.

However, the chamber gives its consent as a matter of course in recognition of the legitimate purpose of the ombudsman’s subpoenas.

Unlike her father, it is not clear if Rep. Binay has any case pending with the ombudsman’s office.

As for the Vice President, he is facing plunder charges in connection with the alleged overpricing of at least one Makati building constructed when he was mayor.

Critics of the Binay family had accused the congresswoman of allegedly committing conflict of interest and graft by allocating millions in pork barrel funds to Makati City, whose mayor is her brother, and to a foundation organized by family friends.

A large part of the funds was used for vermiculture or earthworm-growing projects, which the critics said could not be verified.

The accusations were repeated in a so-called white paper containing allegations against the Binays and which was circulated in June in Makati and among media organizations.

The younger Binay responded to the allegations in a statement sent to media. She said the white paper was the handiwork of “a group holding office in BGC (Bonifacio Global City) and being funded by brothers deeply entrenched in politics and mining.”

She said the objective of the group and its supposed funders was to “diminish my father’s chances in the 2016 presidential elections.”

She did not name the group or its alleged funder.

She said she could fully account for her pork barrel funds and her earthworm-growing projects.

House Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora responded to her statement, saying he and his two billionaire-miner-brothers had nothing to do with the white paper.