New corruption probe on Binay a waste of time – lawyer

THE revival of investigation into the alleged corrupt practices of Vice President Jejomar Binay would be a waste of time and resources, a lawyer said,
Former Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) president Vicente Joyas said “there will be duplication of investigation. The Senate should just leave it up to the Ombudsman office and instead attend to more urgent matters needed before these senators get busy with campaign for the elections.”

Instead, he said the Senate panel should turn over whatever evidence it has gathered so far and finally leave the matter up to the Ombudsman to probe government officials accused of corruption.

“They should instead endorse [the pieces of evidence] to the Ombudsman, which I believe is now conducting investigation on these issues,” he suggested, referring to alleged irregularities in the construction of government-funded buildings – particularly the Makati City Hall Parking Building II and the Makati Science High School, as well as for alleged ill-gotten properties in Cavite.

He said the Office of the Ombudsman is the “proper forum” to conduct the investigation.

He added that the move by the Senate can also be considered a “political strategy.”

The Senate probe on Binay and his family started in August 2014.

The Ombudsman is also conducting a separate investigation on the matter.