Senate upholds Junjun Binay’s arrest

Video by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—The Senate upheld on Wednesday the decision of the blue ribbon committee to order the arrest of Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay and five other resource persons for their continued refusal to appear before the ongoing investigation into the Makati City Hall 2 carpark building.

This came after members of the committee on rules met for two hours and reached a consensus  to  uphold the arrest order against Binay and the five others.

After the meeting,  the committee members immediately returned to the  floor and reported their decision,which was adopted  in the plenary with reservations from Senators Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Gringo Honasan, both  members of the minority bloc.

After the session, Senate majority leader Alan Cayetano, who also chairs the rules committee, told reporters that the arrest order would be served to Binay before the resumption  of the hearing of the  Senate blue ribbon subcommittee at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

“The Senate President will give the order to the  OSAA (Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms) but we’re making representation na gawin yung pag-aresto or kusa nyang pagsama—kasi sabi naman po nya sa OSAA, kusa syang sasama—right before the hearing para mas comfortable sa kanya,” Cayetano said.

“Kung hindi naman mawawala si Mayor, hindi naman tumatakas, e di wala namang purpose na patulugin pa sya dito overnight ’di ba?”  he further said.

After the  arrest order is served, Cayetano said, Binay would be brought directly to the hearing  room on Thursday.

Last Monday, the blue ribbon committee directed the arrest and detention order of the six. But its implementation was held in abeyance after acting minority leader Sotto took the floor to question the decision of the body.

Senate President Franklin Drilon then referred the matter to the rules committee headed by Cayetano to address the issues raised against the said contempt citation and detention order.

Aside from Binay, the five other officials cited in contempt and ordered detained by the blue ribbon committee were Eleno Mendoza, Eduviges Ebeng Baloloy, Marjorie de Veyra, Line dela Pena and Bernadette Portollano.