Cayetano to Binay: Stop hiding behind your children

By: Maila Ager - 10 years ago

President Jejomar Binay (right) has refused to be drawn into a word war with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano (left), another probable presidential contender who had said that the economy would suffer if Binay were elected president in 2016. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday dared Vice President Jejomar Binay to face him in the Senate instead of hiding behind his children.

Cayetano issued the challenge when sought to react to the statement of Vice President’s senator-daughter, Nancy Binay, that she would not initiate a Senate investigation against him and wife, Lani, mayor of Taguig City, over the alleged misuse of his “pork barrel” funds.

“Hindi magi-initiate si Sen. Nancy ng investigation sa aming mag-asawa because mapapahiya sila kapag inimbestigahan nila. Because obviously, wala silang iimbestigahan,” Senator Cayetano said.

(Senator Nancy Binay will not initiate an investigation against us because she would be embarrassed if she does it because obviously, they have nothing to investigate.)

He then accused the Binays of fabricating the charges against him and his wife, noting that those who filed the complaint at the Office of the Ombudsman were members of so-called Thursday club of Makati Representative Abi Binay, another daughter of the Vice President.

“So ang sasabihin nila, wala silang kinalaman, samantalang two days before the charges, si Mayor Junjun naman ang nag-bring up ng tungkol doon sa vehicles na binili sa Taguig.”

(So they are saying they have nothing to do with it when in fact two days before the charges, it was Mayor Jun-Jun who brought about the vehicles that were purchased in Taguig.)

Cayetano was apparently referring to the alleged purchase of multi-cabs in 2012, which is part of the complaint against them.

Mayor Jun-Jun is the vice president’s son and namesake, Jejomar Erwin Binay, the incumbent mayor of Makati City.

“So ang aking challenge sa Bise Presidente, stop using your children and stop hiding behind your children and their classmates,” Cayetano said.

(So my challenge to the Vice President, stop using your children and stop hiding behind your children and their classmates.)

“Kung gusto ng Bise Presidente, tabi kaming dalawa. Ang magkwekwestyon sa akin ay si Sen. Nancy Binay. Lahat ng tungkol sa ginastos ko sa gobyerno sa buong 22 years ko sa gobyerno, halungkatin nila at hindi po ako tatalikod. I will answer all questions. Kay VP Binay naman, si Sen. (Antonio) Trillanes ang magtatanong. Side by side kaming dalawa,” he added.

(If the Vice President wants, we’ll sit side by side. Senator Binay will question me. They can scrutinize all my government expenses in my entire 22 years in government, and I won’t turn my back. I will answer all questions. Senator Trillanes will question Vice President Binay. We’ll sit side by side)

Cayetano said it was not he who was afraid of being investigated but the vice president.

He recalled that during the time of then President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, he and the Vice President were together fighting Arroyo and demanding an explanation on all charges hurled at her.

“Kung dati, hinarap ko ang galit ni First Gentleman, kaso at pananakot ang inabot ko, ngayon ito ang inaabot ko sa mga Binay. But it is a price I am willing to pay para lumabas ang katotohanan,” Cayetano added.