Binay to decide at last minute on Senate invite

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay will personally announce his decision on the invitation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to attend the probe into the alleged overpriced Makati parking building, one of his spokespersons said on Wednesday, November 5.

UNA interim secretary-general Jose Virgilio Bautista said that Binay can even make the decision as late as Thursday morning, or just before the resumption of the Senate probe scheduled at 10 am.

“It can come anytime within the day; it can come even tomorrow morning,” Bautista said in an interview on DZBB.

He declined to give any indication on how Binay would decide, saying: “I cannot give a categorial answer now. I do not want to preempt the Vice President. His decision will come personally from him.”

On October 28, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee formally invited Binay to attend the November 6 hearing on the Makati building. The Office of the Vice President received the invitation the following day.

Another Binay spokesperson, Cavite Governor Juanito Victor Remulla, had earlier said that the Vice President is “booked” or has pre-scheduled official engagements until November 12.

So far, the Vice President has declined repeated invitations to attend the probe being conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee, which he called a “kangaroo court” that has prejudged him.

At the helm of the probe are Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, subcommittee chair; and Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.

Whistleblowers who have testified at the Senate hearings, including former allies of the Vice President, have alleged that the Binays have amassed ill-gotten wealth through kickbacks from Makati City projects awarded to hand-picked contractors, among others.

The Vice President was Makati mayor from 1986 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2010. His wife Elenita held the post from 1998 to 2001, while son Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr has been Makati Mayor since 2010. – Rappler.com