Senate panel orders Mayor Binay, 5 others detained

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Monday cited Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. and five other officials in contempt and directed the Senate sergeant at arms to serve their detention order.

The  five other officials  cited in contempt and ordered detained  by the committee  were the following:  Atty. Eleno Mendoza, Ms. Eduviges Ebeng Baloloy, Marjorie de Veyra, Engineer  Line Dela Pena, and  Bernadette Portollano.

It was  Senator  Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the committee,  who moved to cite  the six  in contempt,  citing the  recommendation of Senator  Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III,  chairman of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee investigating the allegedly overpriced  Makati City Hall 2 parking  building.

Guingona’s  motion was seconded  by  Senator  Antonio  Trillanes IV, who  initiated  the investigation.

“Any objections? There being none, the motion is carried. The persons so  named are hereby cited   in contempt and  the  sergeant at arms is hereby directed to serve the detention order and to coordinate if need  be  with the Philippine National Police. So ordered,” the committee chairman said before adjourning the meeting.

Interviewed  after the meeting,  Guingona said  there was no need  for Senate President  Franklin Drilon  to  sign the  arrest and detention order of  the six, saying  his  signature was  enough to implement  the directive.

“As soon as I sign it, it should be served by the sergeant-at-arms,” he said.

The three senators were the  only members present when Guingona’s committee  voted to cite the  six officials  in contempt and ordered them detained.

Pimentel also recommended to cite  another  resource  person, Professor Tomas Lopez,  in contempt  but withdrew it  after the  latter wrote Guingona’s committee that he would appear in the next hearing of the  subcommittee.

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