More Binay probe, please – INQ.net poll

A majority of Inquirer.net readers want the Senate probe against Vice President Jejomar Binay to continue saying more of his alleged corrupt practices could still be revealed, an INQUIRER.net poll showed.

Of the 17,173 total votes, 10,430 respondents or 60-percent said the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee’s hearing on Binay should not stop, even if the investigation held in 24 hearings had reached its first anniversary last August 20.

Meanwhile, 4,143 readers or 24-percent of the votes want the probe to continue until Binay and his son and suspended Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay testified before the Senate. The probe was initiated by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

Over 20 hearings have been conducted to look into the corruption allegations against the Binays. So, far exposes included allegations on the allegedly overpriced construction of the P1.3-billion Makati City Science High School, the P2.7-billion Makati City Hall Building II and birthday cakes for Makati senior citizens.

Last May, the Senate subcommittee came up with a partial report recommending that Binay, his son and other Makati officials to be charged with plunder over the city hall building

The latest hearing on the Binays revealed that at least 30,000 “ghost” senior citizens receive benefits from the Makati City government. Trillanes claimed that records from the National Statistics Office showed that there were only 30,000 registered senior citizens in Makati, which led to his insinuation that some senior beneficiaries in Makati are either dead or non-existent.

However, 1,339 INQUIRER.net readers think that the probe on Binay has “become a vendetta rather than an investigation.” At total of 1,029 respondents said the hearing has been “going on far too long.”

Despite being embroiled in several allegations of corruption, Binay declared his intention to run for presidency in 2016. Julliane Love de Jesus/CB