MACTAN, Cebu – Vice President Jejomar Binay on Monday accused his rival Mar Roxas of involvement in the alleged extortion attempt of a Czech train manufacturer in 2013.
Binay called a press conference a day after his presidential rivals took turns in accusing him of corruption during the second “PiliPinas” presidential debate in Cebu.
Binay said Roxas was also dragged by dismissed MRT-3 manager Al into the alleged extortion from the Czech train manufacturer Inekon Group in exchange for a P3.77-billion contract to expand the capacity of the MRT-3.
Vitangcol is facing an investigation by the Ombudsman for the alleged extortion attempt. He allegedly sent an envoy in a purported extort try on Inekon Group CEO and chair Josef Husek to the residence of then Czech Ambassador to the Philippines Josef Rychtar.
Inekon however turned it down. The Ombudsman is still investigating the case.
“The best of document is yung ginawa ni Vitangcol at saka yung diplomat yung ambassador na tinuturo si Mr. Roxas na kasama siya sa pagnanakaw dun sa paghihingi ng pera,” Binay said.
He also accused Roxas of relocating the MRT station in Cubao in front of Araneta Center that is owned by the Roxas’ clan Araneta.
At the press conference, Binay again compared Roxas to Joseph Goebbels, the chief propagandist of dictator Adolf Hitler during the Nazi rule in Germany. Goebbels is known for his statement: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe.”
Binay said it’s about time Roxas to find himself in hot water.
“Tayong mga Filipino, pareho tayong hangga’t hindi nasasaktan o nakararanas ng masamang karanasan, eh hindi tayo magbabago sa ugali na bintang pa lang, eh kinikilala niyo nang totoo,” Binay said.
“In other words, kailangan muna makaranas ka bago ka sisigaw nang mali,” he added.
Binay turned the tables on Roxas after the latter, during the Cebu debates, kept bringing up his alleged involvement in graft and corruption when he was Makati mayor.