Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Teofisto Guingona III together with Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, chair of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee, show the names of the seven officials including Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, who are cited for contempt for continued refusal to attend the Senate blue ribbon subcommittees hearing into the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall 2 parking building. JOSEPH VIDAL
MANILA, Philippines — Senators met on Wednesday to address the issues raised against the contempt citation and detention order by the blue ribbon committee against Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay and five other resource persons.
The blue ribbon committee headed by Senator Teofisto Guingona III cited the six in contempt and ordered their detention for their continued refusal to attend its subcommittee’s investigation into the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall 2 parking building.
After attending one hearing, Binay and some city officials repeatedly declined the invitations of the subcommittee, questioning its authority to conduct the probe.
But acting Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto questioned the decision of Guingona’s panel, which prompted Senate President Franklin Drilon to refer the matter to the committee on rules headed by Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.
Aside from Binay, the five other officials cited in contempt and ordered detained by Guingona’s committee were the following: Atty. Eleno Mendoza, Ms. Eduviges Ebeng Baloloy, Marjorie de Veyra, Engineer Line Dela Pena, and Bernadette Portollano.
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