Binay calls COA commissioner ‘attack dog’

Vice President Jejomar Binay. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay has branded Commission on Audit Commissioner Heidi Mendoza an “attack dog” of his opponents.

Binay noted how Mendoza brought the media when she testified at the Sandiganbayan Wednesday on the graft charges filed against his wife, former Makati Mayor Elenita Binay, and other city officials.

“She’s really geared up. She brought along the media and I think she was able to attain the attention of media,” the Vice President said in an interview on Thursday.

According to Binay, when she conducted her direct examination, she tried to make it appear that she had presented the evidence.

“It was just the direct examination, there is no cross examination yet. We will come to the cross examination. Sadly, it only shows that Mrs. Mendoza is an attack dog of my enemies,” he said.

In her testimony, Mendoza claimed that the P72-million contract awarded to Office Gallery International Inc. to supply new furnishings for Makati City Hall in 2000 was “rigged.”

But the Vice President simply shrugged off the COA chief’s testimony, saying it was politically motivated.

When asked if Mendoza is an attack dog of the administration, Binay said:

“Ah, oo naman. Ito yung sinasabi ko nga  nagga-gather ng evidence, galit na galit sa amin sa Makati. Basta’t yan na si Mrs. Heidi Mendoza.”

And when asked if the revival of the case has something to do with the 2016 elections, he said: “Eh ano pa ba naman ang pulitika nun? Bakit naman naggagaganun si Mrs. Mendoza? Kita mo yun, hindi naman nangyayari yun.”

The Vice President has openly declared his intention to run for president in 2016.

Binay said that their sources told them that Mendoza called the media to cover her direct examination. He said Mendoza did not prepare the pieces of evidence that she presented in court.