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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