Binay to Pimentel: ‘Magpakalalaki ka’

ON the day he lashed out against the Aquino administration, Vice President Jejomar Binay confronted Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III with a scathing letter in connection with the request for an audit of agencies under the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

In his one-page letter addressed to Pimentel last June 24, Binay said he had read in newspapers of Pimentel’s request for an audit of different shelter agencies under the HUDCC, which the Vice President headed until his resignation from the Cabinet last Monday.

“Obviously, your statement is but part of the demolition by perception employed by you and your Senate cohorts for the last ten months,’” Binay said.

“I hope this is not a bluff. I dare you: Magpakalalaki ka (Man up). I expect nothing less than a continuation of your demolition campaign against me,” he added.

In a phone patch interview with reporters, Pimentel said he has read Binay’s letter and wondered about the big fuss over his request for an audit of the HUDCC. He said he will forward the request to the Commission on Audit (COA) this week.

“He should not say this is a demolition job because the audit to be conducted, no one has an idea or an inkling as to the result. It could even be positive. The audit could even clear him,” Pimentel said.

The Senator said he could not understand why Binay asked him to “man up.” The senator said he has every intention to request the COA to make an audit of Binay’s performance as chair of the HIDCC and the housing agencies as well as presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers’ concerns.

“But it will be more on the (HUDCC) because there were financial transactions there,” he said.

“No need for a challenge and no need for mga macho na mga tanong na ganyan na actually siya sumasagot kasi nabasa ko sa mga netizens yan ang binabato sa kanya,” Pimentel also said at one point of the interview.

Pimentel said he was not making the inquiry as chair of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee which was investigating corruption allegations against Binay but in his own personal capacity as a senator.

His bid to seek a COA audit was prompted by a press release he had read that stated Binay’s “milestones” as chair of HUDCC, including his performance in providing housing units. The press release came out after Binay resigned from the Cabinet.

“And then I asked my friends in Cagayan de Oro, kamusta na ba yun mga Sendong victims, yung housing ng mga yun. Ang feedback sa akin hindi naman lahat happy o hindi lahat satisfied,” he said.

And that was why he said his proposal for a performance audit was a “logical” one to find out whether Binay’s performance report was accurate.

Pimentel did not want to comment on the “tone” of Binay’s letter to him or what prompted the latter to write it.

Asked why Binay had to course this in an official letter to him, he said he and the Vice President, who used to be part of his PDP-Laban party, were “not on speaking terms” and “if he wants to communicate with me, he really has to write me.”

Pimentel said he will reply to Binay’s letter to assure him his request was not part of a demolition job against him.

“Bakit ka kakabahan kaagad? Eh kung positive yun audit, bakit siya magagalit? ” he also said.

Binay resigned last Monday from the Cabinet of President Aquino last Monday, giving up his positions as HUDCC chair and presidential adviser on OFW concerns.

Last Wednesday, he explained through a public address the reason for his resignation as having to do with the political attacks against him by President Aquino’s allies and party mates in the Liberal Party.

In the same speech, Binay, who is facing possible graft charges before the Ombudsman for the alleged overpricing of two Makati City buildings, had called the Aquino administration as “insensitive” to the needs of the people and bumbling. KS