Binay under probe over Pag-Ibig fund anomalies, says Trillanes
Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay is being investigated by “concerned government agencies” over an alleged anomaly involving Pag-Ibig funds, Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV disclosed on Monday.
Binay is the concurrent chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
“…Meron din kasing mga anomalyang nadi-discover dito sa position nya bilang chairman ng HUDCC na merong mga binigyan sya na mga kaibigan na mga contractors…tapos meron silang mga arrangements with Pag-Ibig,” Trillanes told reporters in a phone patch interview at the Senate.
“Ang impormasyon dyan ay yung mga mass housing projects ay binibigay nya sa mga favored contractors na meron nang arrangement with Pag-ibig so ano ito bagong anomalya ito,” he said.
Trillanes said the new anomaly has already been the subject of investigation by concerned agencies, which he declined to identify.
And based on his information, the senator said, the Vice President allegedly formed a partnership with “favored” contractors so he could receive half of the profits, and not only commissions, from housing projects.
Trillanes said the investigators have a list of favored contractors or alleged dummies used as fronts in the projects.
Asked how much money the Vice President supposedly received from the transactions, he said: “E kung magkano yung kita, hati-hati sila. Iba kasi ’pag komisyon. ’Pag komisyon, you get a percentage which is less than half pero ’pag partnership or kung at worse dummy lang e you get the bulk of the profits.”
Pressed to give a specific amount, the senator said: “Tinitingnan pa natin kasi Pag-Ibig funds ang involved dito e.”
Trillanes said the anomaly would not have happened without the knowledge of Pag-Ibig president, Darlene Berberabe.
While the issue was not part of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee’s investigation into the Makati City Hall 2 parking building, the senator did not discount the possibility that this would be brought up along the way.
“Hindi namin consciously isasama yan sa agenda pero hindi ko ipre-preclude na baka magsanga-sanga in a way ay mailabas ’yan,” Trillanes said.
The investigation by the subcommittee being headed by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is set to resume on January 22.
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