Vice President Jejomar Binay on Saturday booed Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV during the first and only vice presidential debate at the University of Santo Tomas over the issue of corruption.
Binay, who was in the audience to support his running mate Sen. Gringo Honasan, was reacting to Trillanes’ statement when the senator touched on the corruption allegations the Vice President.
“Ako po ay imbestigador. Nakita ko po yung mga dokumento. At sa aking paniniwala si VP Binay po ay nagurakot and nobody can change that,” Trillanes said.
(I’m an investigator. I have seen the documents. And I believe that Vice President Binay is corrupt and nobody can change that.)
It was Trillanes who initiated the months-long Senate probe against Binay, regarding the latter’s alleged involvement with the supposedly overpriced Makati City Hall Building II.
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The soldier-turned-senator was reacting to Honasan’s statement that the judicial system had become “irrelevant” in pursuing cases against officials due to “corrupt, irresponsible elements in the media.”
“’Yan po ang laging linya ni Binay… Hindi ako husgado. ‘Yung pagsasabi na corrupt si VP Binay ay base sa ebidensya sa mga inmebestigahan ko. Hindi ito haka haka kundi based on evidence,” he said.
“I take offense sa sinabi ni Sen. (Bongbong) Marcos na ginawa namin ‘yun sa pamumulitika lamang. Kundi namin ginawa yun si VP Binay ang presidente ng bansa. Hindi pamumulitika yun, pagmamahal sa bansa yun,” Trillanes added.
(That’s what Binay always says…I am not a judge. Saying that VP Binay is corrupt is based on evidence in my investigation. It’s not based on speculation but based on evidence.
I take offense in what Sen. Marcos said that we only [investigated] because of politics. Had we not done that, VP Binay would be president of the country. That’s not politicizing, that’s love for the country.
Binay, whom Trillanes is seeking to succeed, was the only presidential candidate who was present in the debate. CDG
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