Junjun Binay’s arrest, heroes’ welcome, Mayweather visits Pacquiao | The wRap

Today on Rappler.

• The Philippine Senate arrests Makati Mayor Junjun Binay and frees him hours later. 
• Slain Special Forces killed in Maguindanao come home to a heroes’ welcome. 
• Mayweather visits Pacquiao in his hotel room. 

SENATE ARRESTS JUNJUN BINAY, FREES HIM HOURS AFTER
The Philippine Senate arrests Makati Mayor Junjun Binay Thursday after he failed to attend 3 Senate hearings on corruption allegations. The Senate’s sergeant at arms issues Binay the detention order at the Makati City Hall, and escorts him to the Senate Session Hall. Chaos ensues the moment Binay enters the Senate, his supporters turn rowdy, causing the Session Hall’s glass door to break. Binay also threatens to run to the Supreme Court to challenge the probe there, but backs down when the Senate frees him. Senate Blue Ribbon committee chair Koko Pimentel says Binay shows willingness to cooperate with the investigation. Binay says he’s willing to testify if he is given questions ahead of time. But Junjun is not the only Binay facing the courts. Binay’s mother Elenita is arraigned at the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan over alleged anomalies when she was mayor. The court resets the arraignment at the end of the day.

HERO’S WELCOME: SLAIN PNP-SAF BACK HOME
On the Maguindanao clash, 42 of the 44 policemen killed in the encounter with Muslim rebels Sunday are flown home Thursday. Comrades from the elite Special Action Forces lined-up at Villamor Air Base for the arrival of the caskets. Many could not hold back tears when the coffins were laid on the tarmac. President Benigno Aquino, also the commander in chief of the country’s armed forces and the police is absent. Aquino instead attends a car plant’s inaugural in Laguna. Some Filipinos online say the President should get his priorities straight. This comes a day after he evaded questions on whether he authorized the Special Action Forces operation in Maguindanao.

CO-PILOT AT CONTROLS WHEN AIRASIA PLANE CRASHED: INVESTIGATOR
Investigators say the co-pilot of AirAsia flight QZ8501 was at the controls when it went down and not the captain. French co-pilot Remi Plesel was flying the plane when the aircraft went down while the captain was monitoring the flight. The announcement comes as fishermen found two more bodies in Sulawesi in central Indonesiaaround 1,000 kilometers or 600 miles from where the plane crashed.

SYDNEY SIEGE VICTIM KILLED BY POLICE BULLET FRAGMENTS – INQUEST
An inquest into the Sydney cafe siege last December reveals one of the two hostages was killed by police gunfire. Lawyer Jeremy Gormly says Katrina Dawson was struck by 6 fragments of a police bullet. He adds, a fragment struck a major blood vessel and she died soon after. Another hostage, Tori Johnson, was killed by a shot to the head by gunman Man Haron Monis.

MAYWEATHER VISITS PACQUIAO AT HOTEL AFTER NBA MEET-UP
Following their chance meeting during an NBA game in Miami, Floyd Mayweather Jr. visited Manny Pacquiao at his hotel. Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz says Mayweather was “very pleasant, very professional and he was very eager to make the fight…” Koncz adds, the two worked out details of broadcast issues in what could be a major step to make the fight happen.

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