MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay has dismissed the corruption charges against him as “weakening” but if the Tuesday, November 18 Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearing is any indication, they’re really anything but.

The subcommittee’s 12th hearing is going to be the last in a while – until the Senate finishes deliberations on the 2015 budget.

The hearing resulted in at least two “revelations”: First, the likely overpricing of another Makati City building built during Binay’s term as mayor, and second, that rumors of Binay owning a unit in every Makati condominium building was true, at least according to a former ally.

Meanwhile, Binay seemed unfazed by the airing of what detractors say is his dirty laundry. The Vice President on Tuesday returned to the province of Cebu, this time to tour the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu.

His visit included a “boodle fight” with local politicians at a public market, a barangay assembly, and a press conference at the Cebu Waterfront Hotel.

Why snub the Senate?

Binay has been the subject of the months-long probe, which first sought to investigate the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall Building 2. Since the first hearing on August 20, the subcommittee has played host to exposé after exposé against Binay.

Through funds from rigged bids and kickbacks, former Binay ally and Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado alleged, the Vice President built the vast, 350-hectare “Hacienda Binay” in Rosario, Batangas.

Binay has denied the claim, however, and 150 hectares of the property has since been claimed by businessman Antonio Tiu. (READ: Can Antonio Tiu tell a lie?)

Tiu, for his part, has denied being Binay’s dummy and insists he’s a legitimate businessman.

Despite the barrage of allegations against him, the Vice President has refused to face the Senate. The Binay camp has dismissed the subcommittee as a “kangaroo court” whose members are “out of control.”

They have insisted that the “proper forum” to address the allegations would be the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan, should the plunder case against him prosper.

To Mercado, Binay’s refusal to face the Senate is easy to explain. (READ: The Jojo Binay that Mercado knew)

“In the Senate, media coverage is intense. At the Sandiganbayan, media coverage only lasts a day,” said Mercado, responding to questions from senators.

All’s well

In an interview with reporters after the 3-hour hearing, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said it’s likely hearings will resume in 2015 since Congress has the budget, the Bangsamoro Basic Law, emergency powers for the president, and other priority legislation to worry about.

But Cayetano added they would be more than willing to schedule another hearing in 2014 should Binay suddenly decide to show up. The scenario is unlikely, Cayetano admitted.

Binay’s numbers have dipped since the probe began, although he remains the top contender for the 2015 polls and the most trusted public official.

The Vice President has also alleged the plunder case against him, the probe, and the exposés to be part of a plot to ruin his plans of running president come 2016.

“As long as he leads presidential polls, he will not answer the allegations against him,” said Cayetano.

It’s likely that until those numbers truly dip, all will remain well in the Binay camp. – Rappler.com