Binays can back up wealth–Abigail

Makati Representative Abigail Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines–The Binay family can fully account for the P254 million in bank deposits of Vice President Jejomar Binay from 2007 to 2014 that was reported by the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Makati Rep. Abigail Binay said on Sunday.

The lawmaker said her parents were able to make P630.9 million the past 27 years.

“All of this can be verified from the annual SALN (statement of assets, liabilities and net worth) and ITRs (income tax returns) filed by my parents. These and other official documents, such as the statement of contribution and expenditure filed with the Comelec after elections, can clearly show that their earnings were made through honest means,” Abigail said.

She expects that Monday’s hearing of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee would raise the issue of her father’s SALNs and ITRs. But she said Bureau of Internal Revenue records would show that funds in her father’s bank accounts had come from legitimate sources.

The blue ribbon subcommittee is looking into corruption allegations against the Vice President when he was mayor of Makati.

Abigail said she would file contempt charges against Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV for alleging that the Vice President’s camp had paid off justices of the Court of Appeals to block the Ombudsman’s preventive suspension of her brother, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay.

Unfazed by Abigail’s threat, Trillanes said he would file Monday a Senate resolution to investigate the Vice President for allegedly paying to get an injunction from the appellate court for his son.–Christine O. Avendaño