Honasan: I’ll ask Binay to surrender if found guilty of graft
Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II on Tuesday said he would be the first to compel Vice President Jejomar Binay to be placed in custody if the court found him culpable on allegations of corruption.
During the Pandesal forum at Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City, the vice presidential bet of the United Nationalist Alliance said he would be the first to tell his running mate to surrender to authorities provided that the proper court issued the order.
“If the court with due process determines that my running mate is culpable as a candidate, I will be the first to stand up and say ‘Mr. Vice President, the rules have determined your accountability and culpability,” Honasan said.
He said the rules should not be bent based on partisan politics.
Asked about the Vice President’s tactic in leading the surveys despite his graft indictment by the Ombudsman, Honasan said Binay identified well with the poor because he also came from poverty.
Honasan said Binay did not wait for the poor to approach him in his visits to impoverished areas.
“It’s a little too late for the other (candidates) to replicate that. You can’t just reinvent yourself, you must genuinely identify yourself with the people. That’s the reason why nagho-hold ang place niya,” Honasan said.
Binay faces graft indictment before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly rigging the procurement for the design and construction of the P2.28-billion Makati City Hall Building II, deemed the country’s priciest car park building, when he was Makati mayor.
Honasan himself faces a malversation, graft and bribery complaint before the Ombudsman for allegedly receiving P1.75 million kickbacks, according to the financial records of “pork barrel scam” whistle-blower Benhur Luy. RC
