MANILA, Philippines—”I have no bakeshop and I don’t know how to bake.”
This was how Senator Nancy Binay repeatedly denied on Thursday insinuations that she was behind the cakes that were being given to senior citizens celebrating their birthdays in Makati City.
“Inuulit ko rin po, wala po akong bakeshop, at hindi rin po ako marunong magbake. Bawal po ang pamilya ng incumbent officials na mag transact sa City Hall dahil sa conflict of interests,” Binay said in a statement.
(I would like to reiterate that I have no bakeshop and I don’t know how to bake. Families of incumbent official are not allowed to transact in City Hall because of conflict of interests.)
She issued the statement after Engineer Mario Hechanova, former head of the General Services Office of Makati City, claimed during Thursday’s hearing by the Senate blue ribbon committee that then Mayor and now Vice President Jejomar Binay himself was following up on the payments of cakes for his daughter.
Hechanova insinuated that Senator Binay was doing business when the Vice President was still the city mayor.
The senator then dared Hechanova to present “proof” of her involvement in the business of giving away cakes to senior citizens.
“Umaapaw ang kasinungalingan ni Mario Hechanova,” she said.
(Mario Hechanova is overflowing with lies.)
“They have been deceiving the people twice already. May pattern of lies na nangyayari sa hearing na ito 9There is a pattern of lies in this hearing).”
“First, parking building daw, when in fact it’s an office building with parking,” the senator said, referring to the new Makati City Hall 2 parking building, which was the subject of the ongoing investigation.
“Second, sinabi nilang mahigit P1,000 yung case, when it’s only around P300, eh tapos hinulaan lang pala nila. At kung di pasok sa script nila ang testimonya ng resource persons, ibu-bully na nila ng todo.” she added.
(Second, they said that the cake was over P1,000 when it’s only around P300. As it turned out, they were only guessing. And if the testimony of the resource persons doesn’t conform with their scripts, then they will bully them.)
“Please do not invent tales like former vice mayor (Ernesto) Mercado and Atty. (Renato) Bondal.”
Both Mercado and Bondal had testified in the Senate against the Binays.
“I deny again in the strongest terms possible and condemn the malicious claim of Engineer Hechanova,” Senator Binay said.
“I did not, again, I did not benefit from the cakes given to senior citizens of Makati.”
“Madali pong mag imbento o magsinungaling lalo na kung may mga taong coach at protector,” the senator further said.
(It’s easy to invent and to lie especially if they have
a coach and protector.)
Originally posted at 04:13 pm | September 4, 2014
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