Nancy Binay. INQUIRER PHOTO / ELOISA LOPEZ
SENATOR Nancy Binay was dismayed when she found out on Tuesday that she would be seated at the Senate session hall with her two colleagues who had accused her father, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, of amassing unexplained wealth.
“Nakakaloka! Ibang level ng powers ito,” Binay said when she found out that she would be sitting next to Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Beside Cayetano would be Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
Trillanes initiated the Senate inquiry into corruption allegations against the former Vice President during the 16th Congress, while Cayetano actively participated in the proceedings.
As she was complaining about the new seating arrangement, Cayetano sat beside her and also joked about the situation.
“Baka lumipat na ako sa minority,” Senator Binay, who is part of the new majority bloc in the chamber, said in jest.
Cayetano also joked about their seating arrangement when interviewed by reporters outside the session hall.
“Hindi ko lang alam kung pinaparusahan nila ako today or pinaparusahan nila yung dalawa kong seatmates dahil ginitna ako kay Senator Binay at Senator Trillanes,” he said.
“So tinatanong ko sa kanila, ako ba ang pinaparusahan nyo or pinaparushan nyo ba yung dalawang katabi ko. E temporary lang naman daw. At nagtawanan naman kami ni Senator Binay,” Cayetano added.
Asked if he would request a change in their seating arrangements, Cayetano again said in jest: “Naunahan na ako e, nagpalipat na yung iba bago ako.”
Cayetano and Trillanes ran against each other in the last May vice presidential race. Both lost to Vice President Leni Robredo./ac/rga