Palace still mum on graft raps vs Binay

Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Malacañang on Thursday said President Aquino had yet to weigh the corruption allegations filed against Vice President Jejomar Binay and his family because he had not yet been briefed on the scandal.

“The President has said that he has not received much information on those allegations. The President’s information only comes from media reports. So he can’t say anything either for the truth or the falsity of the allegations and counter-allegations,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told reporters.

Valte said the President had also not said if the allegations would affect the long friendship between him and Binay.

Asked whether the President would give weight to friendship over good government in the case of Binay, Valte replied: “I believe that the President has already shown what will prevail. As the President himself said, ‘The truth shall set you free.’”

She noted that while the Senate’s aim in the inquiry into the charges of corruption against Binay is to legislate rules making competitive biddings for contracts more open to public scrutiny, the government has already taken steps to make sure that biddings are transparent, such as upgrading the PhilGEPS (Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System) website and stricter compliance with the uploading of documents for biddings.