Palace hands off on Santiago suggestion to end Senate body’s Binay probe

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Amid a senator’s recommendation, Malacañang on Sunday said that is keeping its hands off to suspend the ongoing Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearings probing allegations of graft and corruption committed by Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said in an interview over state-run radio that the decision whether or not to heed Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago’s suggestion to end the public hearings rests on the decision of the senators.

“Nasa pagpapasya po ‘yan ng Senado dahil tungkulin po nila ‘yung kanilang isinasagawa at iginagalang po namin ang kanilang pagiging pantay at hiwalay na sangay ng pamahalaan,” Coloma said.

(It (suspension of Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearings on Binay) is the decision of the Senate because it (the probe) is part of their duties. We are respecting the fact that we are co-equal and separate branches of government.)

Santiago recommended that the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee wrap up its hearings and submit collated pieces of evidence to the Office of the Ombudsman.

However, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said that the Senate hearings are only “halfway through” as they will also probe other allegedly overpriced Makati building projects.

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