Abi Binay blasts Trillanes for accusing her of giving pork funds to Makati exec
MAKATI Representative Abigail Binay blasted Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for alleging that she malversed a portion of her pork barrel funds to a former city official.
In a statement, the daughter of Vice President Jejomar Binay said Trillanes’ attempt to drag her into the Senate probe only shows the senator’s true motives in investigating the Binays – to gain ratings in the survey.
During the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee hearing into the alleged corruption in Makati under the Binays’ rule, Trillanes accused the resource speaker Ryan Barcelo of receiving 15 checks from Rep. Binay’s Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) as former Makati Social Welfare Department (MSWD) officer in charge.
Rep. Binay said she issued checks from her pork barrel to Barcelo intended for a medical assistance project in Makati.
She said she issued the funds to Barcelo under his name because he was the disbursing officer at the time.
She added that the funds originated from the trust fund, which means the funds could only be used for the intended purpose.
“Ang pondo pong ito ay nakalagay sa isang trust fund sa Makati City. Bilang trust fund, hindi po ito pwedeng galawin basta-basta. May specific po itong pagagamitan,” Rep. Binay said.
“Kung inalam din nang maayos ni Senator Trillanes, makikita niya na ang mga checks na yan ay na-issue mula sa trust fund papunta sa implementing arm ng Makati City for medical assistance – ang Makati Social Welfare Department (MSWD) na ang namumuno dati ay si Mr. Ryan Barcelo. Para ulit sa kaalaman ni Senator Trillanes, kaya po kay Mr. Barcelo naka-issue ang check ay dahil siya po ang bonded officer na taga-disburse,” she added.
Rep. Binay said that the checks could not be used for malversation because these were tightly audited by the Makati auditor.
“Baka po hindi alam ni Senator Trillanes na dumadaan sa butas ng karayom ang mga gastusin na ito sa auditor ng Makati. Bago mabigyan ng medical assistance, madaming mga dokumento na kailangan ipasa. Ito ay dino-double check pa ng MSWD. Ang mga receipts kasama pa sa isina-submit sa Commission on Audit,” she added.
In testing his credibility, Trillanes, in the hearing, asked Barcelo if he received checks from Rep. Binay.
Barcelo denied the allegation, but Trillanes said the checks show that Binay’s pork barrel released by the budget department were diverted to Barcelo.
Trillanes said it is then no surprise that Barcelo is defending the Binays on allegations of ghost senior citizen beneficiaries under their rule.
Trillanes said what Rep. Binay did was tantamount to malversation of funds.
“Kung gaano mo pa paikutin, bawal ‘yun. That’s called malversation kasi ginamit pang liquidate ‘yung mga tsekeng inissue sa’yo,” Trillanes said.
“Yan ang position mo kaya naiitindihan kita kung bakit ka dumedepensa dito sa mga Binay,” he added.
