Mayor Binay says: Drilon using Senate for political attacks

Senate President Franklin Drilon. Photo courtesy of Drilon’s official Facebook page.

MANILA, Philippines – Allegations made by Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. that Senate President Franklin Drilon is using the Senate as a platform for political attack, thereby violating its rules, were brushed aside by the latter yesterday.

In an interview on dzBB radio, Drilon there are no political motivations behind the Senate Blue Ribbon inquiry of purported anomalies in the governance of Makati City under then mayor, now vice president Jejomar Binay, as well as during the terms of his wife and son.

“The (Liberal) Party has nothing to do with this. The resolution was filed by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and then it is now heard by the Blue Ribbon committee,” Drilon said.

He added that Binay has been desperately trying to call public attention away from the situation, as he has failed to properly address the charges against him.

Allegations of corruption levied against the vice president have been corroborated by several witnesses in the Senate hearings, who have also provided testimonies against  other members of the family.

Drilon remarked, in Filipino: “Maybe Mayor Binay would have a hard time with the witnesses who are coming out.”

Drilon added that the hearings are being carried out by the Senate in order to get to the truth of the matter, as part of its mandate to assess and create laws, and not to mudsling against the Binays.

“They are called resource persons so we would know if law should be amended or what should be changed in the existing anti-graft law,” he said; again speaking in Filipino.
Meanwhile, Binay’s daughter, Sen. Nancy Binay, spoke out against what she described as a move to “destroy potential enemies.:

“It turns out that the hearings are conducted not anymore in aid of legislation, but in aid of public ambition for 2016. You can see that those who are attending the hearings are those who want to destroy their potential enemies,” Sen. Binay said.

Sen. Binay pointed a finger at Audit commissioner Heidi Mendoz; accusing her as playing a part in a “script” to ensnare the Binays.

“True to form, she (Mendoza) followed a script to pin us down,” she said.
Sen. Binay implored chairman Teofisto Guingona III to gather the core Senate Blue Ribbon committee in order to deliberate the jurisdictional challenge filed by Mayor Binay.