Binay vows to sack Henares as soon as he becomes president

Vice President Jejomar Binay on Friday attends the ninth biennial convention of the Chinese Filipino Business Club at Manila Hotel. Photo by Marc Jayson Cayabyab/INQUIRER.net

VICE PRESIDENT Jejomar Binay on Friday said he would install a new Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner once he is elected president.

Speaking at a convention of the Chinese Filipino Business Club, Binay said he would replace BIR Commissioner Kim Henares within 30 minutes after taking his oath as president.

“After taking my oath as President, in 30 minutes, you’ll have a new BIR commissioner,” Binay said, rousing laughter and short applause from the audience.

Binay also introduced United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) President Toby Tiangco as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He likewise reiterated his campaign promise to scrap the income tax for those earning P30,000 and below per month, and plug in the revenue hole by cracking down on smuggling.

Binay added his promise to lower the 30 percent corporate income tax, earning him an applause from the audience of Filipino-Chinese businessmen.

He also said he would support amending the 1987 Constitution to ease foreign restrictions and to liberalize the charter to allow more foreign direct investments.

The Vice President said he wants to encourage the spread of small medium enterprises, which are currently concentrated in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Regions III, VI and VII.

Binay reiterated that he would do in the country what he had done in Makati, which has become a prime financial district in the two decades that he was mayor.

Meanwhile, he vowed to stamp out graft and corruption to ease poverty.

“Malaki ang nawawala sa graft and corruption (The government loses a lot from graft and corruption). As Makati mayor, we’re able to minimize graft and corruption and raise standard of living,” Binay said.

Binay was indicted by the Ombudsman for malversation, graft and falsification of public documents for the alleged rigging of the procurement for the design and construction of the P2.2 billion Makati car park building while he was still mayor.

Also indicted was his son, dismissed Makati mayor Junjun, who on Friday was formally charged before the Sandiganbayan for graft and falsification of public documents.

The Ombudsman said it would file the charges against Binay after the end of his term, owing to Binay’s immunity from suit as vice president.

Binay was also recommended to be charged for plunder by the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee after a probe on graft-ridden infrastructure projects under his term as Makati mayor..

Binay has claimed that his critics are just hurling cases against him to derail his presidential bid. He called the Senate investigation a political inquisition.