Binay declines dare to yield P16-B bank deposits

VICE President Jejomar Binay is not biting his accuser’s challenge for him and his alleged dummies to surrender the P16-billion bank deposits that were reportedly ordered frozen by the Court of Appeals (CA).

Unlike former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, Binay maintained that he did not steal anything from the government coffers.

BACKSTORY: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/693149/ernesto-mercado-to-return-loot

“Bakit may ‘kung’? E inamin n’ya [na] ninakaw n’ya. O e ako, wala naman akong ninanakaw. Bakit n’ya ako ilalagay na kondisyon?” the Vice President said in an interview in Dumangas, Iloilo, a transcript of which was e-mailed to reporters.

(Why is there an if? He admitted that he has stolen money; I did not. Why would he impose such condition?)

“Sabi n’ya, ‘Tulong sa bayan.’ OK, e ’di isoli mo. May admission ka naman [na] nagnakaw ka,” he said of Mercado, his erstwhile ally.

(He said this is for the benefit of the country. OK, then return it. You have an admission anyway that you stole it.)

Binay maintained that the cases filed against him were made up and complained that they were not given a chance to explain.

“Kita mo naman sa Senate ginaganyan ka: ‘Magnanakaw ka!’ ‘Yong sa AMLC, we are asking for a copy of the report so we can explain. Wala namang binibigay sa’min. ’Yang allegations, ’pag hindi submitted to a cross examination, walang [weight ’yan]. These are according to them,” he said.
AMLC is Anti-Money Laundering Council, which filed a petition at the CA to freeze the bank accounts of Binay and his alleged dummies in connection with the Office of the Ombudsman’s investigation on the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall 2 parking building.

In the end, Binay said, only the court could say whether he stole the people’s money.

“Alam mo naman na nagsisinungaling ka. Alam mo naman sa dulo-dulo na husgado lang ang makakapagsabi kung nagnakaw nga ako o hindi. Hindi ikaw. Hindi ang Senado. Hukuman. Sige, magkita-kita tayo sa hukuman para tayo ay magkapaliwanagan,” he said when asked how he would answer his detractors.

(You know that you are lying.  You know that in the end, only the court can say whether I am a thief . Not you. Not the Senate. It is the court. Let us see each other in court.) AC