Year-long Senate probe only produced lies, rumors—Binay
Vice President Jejomar Binay said Monday that the hearings led by the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee to investigate the alleged corrupt practices during his term as Makati mayor has produced nothing but lies and rumors.
Binay said that the number of hearings conducted, which is currently pegged at 23, is worthy of a Guinness World Record.
“[S]a isang taon na kung anu-anong pinaggagawa, wala naman hong credible o kapani-paniwala, at pulos haka-haka at mga kasinungalingan ang napagsabi-sabi dito ho sa pagharap sa Senado,” Binay said in a Bombo Radyo interview.
(A year after the Senate hearing, nothing truthful or credible came out of it. It only produced lies and rumors.)
Binay downplayed the “explosive revelations” promised by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV in the resumption of the Senate probe on August 20 and 26, saying that witnesses might produce falsified documents.
“Sa takbo at sa pagkakilala po naman ng ating mga kababayan ay hindi ho ako magugulat kung mayroong sabihing, ‘etong mga tseke, mga palsipikadong mga dokumento, palsipikadong tseke, wala na rin ho namang idadagdag ‘yon. Sa haba ho ng pare-pareho naman hong kasinungalingan sa simula’t simula pa,” he said.
(I will not be surprised if the witnesses produce falsified checks and documents. The probe only produced lies from the beginning.)
He also lamented how his absence in the Senate hearings is framed as an admission of his guilt on the charges leveled against him, adding that he already explained his side when he submitted a sworn statement last November.
“Alam po ninyo, hindi ko malaman kung bakit po ipinakakagat ho nila ‘yong issue ng hindi pagharap eh. Sabi, kaya ayaw kong humarap ay dahil sa ako ay may kasalanan. Ito po naman ang sabi ko, kung kayo po kaya ang mapalagay sa posisyon ng Pangalawang Pangulo, at ang makakaharap ho ninyo ay nambabastos o nanghihiya, [dadalo ba kayo?].”
“Ang mga pananalita ay ‘may kasalanan ka’ na kaagad, una; pangalawa, ako naman din ho ay nagpaliwanag. Nagpadala po ako ng sinumpaang salaysay na ‘yong testigong piniprisinta nila, pinakabasa-basa ‘yong mga pinagsasabi nila do’n sa kanyang sinumpaang salaysay. Eh ‘yong akin po ay hindi man lamang binigyan ng pansin,” the vice president said.
(I don’t know why they make an issue out of my absence in the hearings. They said that I do not want to attend because I am guilty. But I ask them: if you are in my shoes and you will face a panel where you will be ridiculed, will you still attend the hearing?)
(They seemed convinced that I am already guilty. I have already explained my side when I sent my sworn statement. They seem to give more weight on their witnesses’ statements but refused to recognize my side.)
Trillanes said on Sunday that he will present a new witness and a new irregularity which transpired during Binay’s term as Makati mayor on Thursday’s hearing.
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