Vice President Jejomar Binay INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay on Sunday said it is unlikely for him to face his critics at the Senate since they have already “prejudged” him.
“‘Haharap ka na may desisyon na? Prejudged na?” Binay said in a radio interview with Bombo Radyo Cauayan.
(Would face them when you’re already prejudged?)
“Alam mo ‘yung nangyayari du’n hindi naman ebidensya ‘yun. Talagang paninira lang. Kasi para mabuo ang isang ebidensya, e ‘yung karapatan ng sinusumbong, ‘yung right to cross-examine, e wala ‘yun,” said Binay, who used to be a human rights lawyer.
(What it happening there does not involve appraising evidence. It’s slander. Because to build evidence, the accused has a right…the right to cross-examine. But there is none in the Senate.)
The Vice President pointed out that the case has already been filed with the Ombudsman.
Asked about his critics expressing dismay over his speech last Thursday, Binay said that’s the trouble with some people who would only hear what they want.
Last Thursday, he delivered a 20-minute speech answering accusations against him and his family.
He maintained that he did nothing wrong when he was still mayor of Makati City, especially since the city’s transactions went through the Commission on Audit (COA).
Binay also said he does not regret announcing his plan to run for president less than two years before the 2016 national elections.
“Dahil sa ‘yung pagkakasabi ko na ako’y magkakandidato e at least e araw-araw e binabantayan ako sa aking ginagawa. O e awa naman ng Diyos, wala pa naman silang nasasabi sa’kin na mali ang nagawa ko,” Binay said in a radio interview with Bombo Radyo Cauayan.
(Because I’ve announced my candidacy, I’ve been under public scrutiny. With God’s mercy, they have yet to say that what I have done was wrong.)
The Vice President said the corruption charges against him are “recycled.”
“Ni minsan hindi ako nasuspinde sa lahat ng sumbong nila. At ni minsan, hindi ako nakulong,” he said.
(I’ve never been suspended because of their complaints. And I have never been jailed because of that.)
Although he is from the opposition, Binay said he remains in good terms with President Benigno Aquino III.
“Kaming dalawa po ni Pangulo e nagtaya po kami ng buhay. Magkasama po kami sa Edsa Revolution, bago po mag-Edsa Revolution, hanggang sa panahon ni President Cory, magkakasama po kami. So ‘yan po ay kaibigan na nagsama dahil sa nagdaan sa hirap at ginhawa na,” he said.
(Both of us have put our lives on the line. We were together during the Edsa revolution, before that and until the administration of President Cory (Aquino). So that is a friendship that went through good times and bad.)
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