Binay camp: Mendoza’s COA report already ‘discredited’

 

MANILA, Philippines – The Binay camp on Friday, October 3, sought to downplay the testimony of a state auditor on the alleged overpricing of medical equipment in Makati city.

The testimony was made on Thursday, October 2, at the Senate hearing on an alleged overpriced Makati building, a probe sparked by plunder raps filed against Vice Mayor Jejomar Binay and his son, incumbent Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr.

Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Heidi Mendoza, speaking before the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee on Thursday, had testified that based on a past special audit report, dubious transactions happened in the city while Elenita Binay was mayor.

Mrs Binay, the wife of the Vice President, was mayor from 1998 to 2001.

Mendoza said over P61.2 million out of a total purchase price of P70.56 million was overpriced. (READ: COA: Red flags, undue haste in Makati building)

Among the alleged overpriced items she cited at the Senate hearing was a heavy duty sterilizer worth P1.465 million each based on the purchase order, but reportedly cost just P16,000 per unit in the market.

‘Junked report’

In a statement, Mrs. Binay’s legal counsel, Juan Carlos Mendoza, criticized Mendoza for giving testimony based on the report.

“It was expected that as a high ranking public official, Ms. Heidi Mendoza would have been candid enough to admit to the Senate that the Audit Report she was testifying on yesterday was already discredited by the Sandiganbayan,” said Mendoza.

The report, was the basis of a graft complaint against Mrs. Binay. The case was dismissed in 2011 after the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan found the COA report had “fundamental issues of arbitrariness.” Mrs Binay and members of the Makati Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) then got off scott free.

“Please note that the Sandiganbayan Resolution was affirmed by no less than the Supreme Court on 12 January 2012,” said Mendoza.

The lawyer added, “With respect to the Ospital ng Makati findings, these were already assessed by the Ombudsman during preliminary investigation and in 2011, the Ombudsman cleared Dra. Binay of liability.”

The Office of the Special Prosecutor of the Ombudsman has since attempted to re-open the case, prompting the Binay camp to press charges against the Ombudsman before the Supreme Court.

Miriam: VIP police protection for Mendoza

Meanwhile, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, a member of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee who is on medical leave, sought “heightened and fully-armed, 24-hour VIP police protection” for Mendoza, following her testimony at the Senate hearing.

During the Thursday hearing, Mendoza said she had received  threats reportedly in connection with the trial of Mrs Binay for corruption charges at the Sandiganbayan, where she is a government witness.

Santiago said in a statement on Friday, October 3,  that she has written Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II regarding this, and that she would file a resolution on October 7 seeking intensified security measures for Mendoza.

She urged Senate President Franklin Drilon to approve the recommendation on Mendoza’s admission to the Witness Protection Program (WPP).

Santiago cited Republic Act No. 6981 or the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act, and called on both the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and the subcommittee to recommend the admission of Mendoza into the WPP.

“If we let this pass, no other significant witness will be willing to testify in any congressional hearing because of fear. Let’s put our boots on the ground and stomp out fear sown by hooligans,” she said. 

From cakes to kickbacks

Although the Makati City Hall Building 2 prompted the Senate probe, resource persons have been taking turns telling tales of the Binay family’s alleged corruption in the city.

A former Makati official  who served under the terms of the Vice President and his wife, said while he was vice-chairman of the BAC, all bids were rigged.  Vice President Binay was mayor of Makati from 1986 to 2010, except for one term wherein his wife took over.

The Binays have cried foul over the barrage of accusations against them, prompting Mayor Binay to file a jurisdictional challenge against the subcommittee. The younger Binay attended the first hearing but skipped subsequent ones. The Vice President was invited to appear before the Senate, but turned it down.

According to the Binay camp, the probe is only meant to degrade the Vice President’s good ratings in time for the 2016 presidential elections.

The older Binay is the only candidate who has announced plans to run for the presidency.

Since the probe began, Binay’s ratings have slipped although he still leads all other potential candidates. – Bea Cupin/Rappler.com