Impeach rap vs Binay mulled in House

By: Marc Jayson Cayabyab - 10 years ago

MANILA, Philippines – Caloocan Representative Edgar Erice is considering filing an impeachment complaint against Vice President Jejomar Binay.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Erice said Binay may be impeached for betrayal of public trust as he faces a Senate investigation on alleged corruption when he was Makati mayor.

Erice, a member of President Benigno Aquino III’s Liberal Party, cited the alleged use of Makati funds by Binay for his vice presidential campaign in 2010, as well as his purported failure to declare his properties in Batangas and Tagaytay in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities Networth (SALN).

In a Senate probe, former Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado had said that he personally delivered kickbacks from Makati’s infrastructure projects to Binay’s family. He said some of the funds were used for Binay’s campaign kitty in 2010.

Binay and his son current Makati Mayor Junjun Binay face a plunder complaint before the Ombudsman for allegedly raking in kickbacks from the overpriced Makati building when the vice president was mayor in 2007.

“I am seeing two possible reasons [for impeachment]: First, what vice Mayor Mercado said in a hearing that the proceeds from the corruption in the Makati parking building and other buildings were used to finance the campaign of Vice President Binay. I think that is an impeachable offense,” Erice said in Filipino.

Caloocan City Vice Mayor Edgar Erice and Vice President Jejomar Binay (inset). INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Binay is also accused of failing to declare his various estates in Tagaytay and Batangas in his SALN, but United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) interim secretary general JV Bautista was quick to claim that Binay sold the Tagaytay property in 2012.

Erice said he saw Binay’s SALN and said the Tagaytay property was not even declared in his 2008 and 2009 SALN, or before it was supposedly sold.

“Sinabi ni Atty. JV Bautista na the property in Tagaytay was sold in 2012 at noong nakita ko ang SALN ni Vice President Binay 2008-2009 wala na yong property na ‘yun sa kanyang SALN, so mali ang sabi (Atty. JV. Bautista said the Tagaytay property was sold in 2012, but when I saw his 2008 and 2009 SALN it was not declared),” he said.

Erice said his intention to impeach Binay, who he charged as a two-timer for being in Aquino’s Cabinet while criticizing the administration, is his “political exercise.”

“Political exercise naman ito kaya mahalaga ito sapagkat ayaw nating magkaroon ng Pangulo na mababansagan na corrupt (It is my political exercise [to file an impeachment complaint]. It’s important because we don’t want a President who is tainted with corruption charges),” Erice said of Binay who is seeking the presidency in 2016.

Erice had been vocal in having Binay removed as a Cabinet official.

He had also sought to amend the Constitution to allow Aquino a shot for reelection in 2016, but he later backed out.

Militant lawmakers have filed several impeachment complaints against Aquino, but these were dismissed by their colleagues at the House of Representatives for lack of substance.