Binay to fight impeach moves, says he’s still vice president

Vice President Jejomar Binay AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay said he would fight any impeachment move  against him, saying he could only be removed from  office if he had committed any violations during his term as vice president.

Binay said talk of impeaching him could be part of what he described as “Operation Anybody But Binay” being hatched by his detractors in an apparent attempt to stop his presidential bid in 2016.

He specifically noted how Justice Secretary Leila De Lima claimed to have received a request from the Senate to investigate him when he said the blue ribbon subcommittee looking into the Makati City Hall 2 parking building has not even made any recommendation on the issue.

“Wala pa pong desisyon ang Senado and yet here is the Secretary of Justice saying na there is a request. Number two, the cat is out of the bag, it is all part of the script, na talagang by all means, ang kanilang operation, Operation Anybody but Binay,” Binay  said in an open forum during the 5th MCLE Accredited National Convention of Public Attorneys at the Manila Hotel.

“There is an admission of the Secretary of Justice that I can be investigated. And the result of the investigation could be the subject of impeachment. Therefore, the investigation is part of the impeachment. And yet she agrees that I will have to face the case of impeachment. Talagang ilalatag na nila. Pero hindi ako papayag diyan. Lalaban po ako diyan. Maraming beses po akong lumaban, marami na pong pagkakataon na ang batas ay binabali, hindi po ako papayag niyan.”

“The only reason I can be removed from office among others would be the violation of the Constitution during my term as Vice President. Maliwanag naman po yata iyon,” Binay added.

Caloocan  Representative Edgar Erice, a member of the  administration’s  Liberal Party, had said that Binay could be impeached for betrayal  of public trust for allegedly using public funds when he was mayor of Makati City to fund his vice presidential bid in 2010.

During the previous hearings of the blue ribbon sub-committee, former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado also accused the Vice President of allegedly receiving kickbacks and using dummies to hide his unexplained wealth.

But Binay repeatedly denied the allegations. He also reiterated that he would not accept the subcommittee’s invitation to appear before its hearing.

“Uulitin ko, I won’t dignify that kind of proceeding by attending it. Ladies and gentlemen, I am the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines,” he said.
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