Senate panel summons Binay to face Makati building probe

Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Jejomar Binay was summoned on Thursday by the Senate blue ribbon committee to face its hearing next week on the allegedly grossly overpriced Makati City Hall 2 parking building.

It was Senator Antonio Trillanes IV who moved to invite Binay into the Senate probe after former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado returned to the committee and detailed the “kickbacks” that the Vice President had allegedly received when he was still the city mayor.

Trillanes said it was “high time” that the Vice President responded to the allegations hurled at him.

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayateno immediately seconded Trillanes’ motion prompting the presiding officer, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel II, to order the committee to write the invitation to the Vice President.

In his testimony, Mercado claimed that he had personally delivered kickbacks to Binay several times.

RELATED STORIES

Senate resumes Makati building probe with new witnesses 

Why is Binay afraid of Senate probe?