Aquino still trusts Drilon, allies — Palace

Senate President Franklin Drilon INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Tuesday said President Benigno Aquino III remains confident that Senate President Franklin Drilon and other members of the Liberal Party (LP) are not involved in any anomaly.

Asked if Aquino still trusts Drilon and his other allies amid a planned probe on the allegedly overpriced Iloilo Convention Center, Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said “I believe so. Yes.”

He pointed out that Drilon, who is the vice chair of LP, had already answered the questions raised regarding the project.

“We respect the internal processes of the House of Representatives as an independent and co-equal branch of the government to pursue whatever inquiries or investigation they may want to undertake,” Coloma said of Kabataan Partylist Representative Terry Ridon’s request to investigate the convention center and other projects that involved Hilmarc’s Construction Corp.

Hilmarc’s was the contractor of the allegedly overpriced Makati parking building constructed when Vice President Jejomar Binay was still mayor of Makati.

Ridon’s House Resolution no. 1466 seeks to investigate other government infrastructure built by Himarc’s to check for possible cases of corruption and overpricing.

Drilon, however, slammed Ridon for supposedly using erroneous data.

“The project costs P63,893.11 per sqm based on a design made by architect William V. Cosculluela. The building is seven stories tall and designed without any columns but with long span beams and glass curtain walls. It was bid out by Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson, who is widely known for his integrity,” the Senate President earlier told Inquirer.

Originally posted at 1:41 pm | Tuesday, September 9, 2014

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