Senate cannot compel Binay to testify—Palace

MANILA, Philippines—While the Senate can do its best to convince Vice President Jejomar Binay to appear before its blue ribbon committee, it cannot compel the country’s second highest government official to testify, Malacañang said Wednesday.

“You cannot compel the Vice President considering that that is just an invitation for him–Senate recognizing the office, which he occupies,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a Palace briefing.

He said Binay has already expressed his decision not to appear before the Senate and to instead address the issue of the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall 2 parking building in another venue.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda. FILE PHOTO

“That’s a matter of strategy, which is best left for them to decide,” Lacierda explained, adding that it will be up to the Binay camp to respond to such allegations.

Binay was accused anew of corruption after an aerial video of his alleged mansion and farm in Rosario, Batangas was presented before the Senate.

Former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado claimed that the Binays have been receiving kickbacks from the construction of buildings in Makati to fund the so-called agricultural estate.

Asked about other options for the lifestyle check of government officials, the Secretary expressed optimism that the Office of the Ombudsman remains independent.

“There is no gap insofar as the performance of the Office of the Ombudsman is concerned. They are performing their duties very well, so, we will leave it at that,” he said.

Binay earlier said he was open to a lifestyle check.

A couple of months ago, Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno refused to attend the House of Representative’s hearing on the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF). Sereno then said it was inappropriate for a co-equal branch of government to invite the head of the Judiciary to share her opinion on two bills, considering the timing and the context of the hearing.

At that time, President Benigno Aquino III was assailing the high tribunal for its decision to declare the Malacañang’s Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) partly unconstitutional.