MANILA, Philippines – With Malacañang facing a wall of criticism stemming from the Mamasapano carnage, a Palace official on Thursday said it has no comment on the arrest of Makati Mayor Junjun Binay and the Senate’s decision to hold him in contempt.
“Hindi po kami nagpopokus dyan sa kasalukuyan dahil marami pa pong ibang prayoridad ang ating bansa (We don’t focus on such things because the country has many priorities),” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said, several minutes after Binay was bodily dragged into the Senate session hall.
Echoing earlier pronouncements on legislative and judicial issues, Coloma said Malacañang acknowledges the processes of Congress as a co-equal and separate branch of government.
The mayor claimed he was hurt when he was dragged into the hall. He showed a bruise on his left arm.
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel asked Binay to respond to accusations that his family amassed ill-gotten wealth through kickbacks in the construction of buildings in Makati but the mayor continued to object the conduct of the hearing.
Junjun Binay said the only purpose of the hearing was to tarnish their name.
The Makati mayor is the son of Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is the current frontrunner for the 2016 presidential elections.
Although Binay and President Benigno Aquino III are family friends, they belonged to opposing parties.