Junjun Binay’s arrest deferred

MANILA, Philippines —  The Senate held  in abeyance on Monday the contempt citation and detention order issued against Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay and five other resource persons pending questions raised by some senators.

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said the committee on rules, which he chairs, will have to meet first on Tuesday to address the questions raised on the floor by acting  Senate Minority Leader  Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

“At the very least, makakatulog nang mahimbing yung mga pinaaresto tonight and as long as hindi sila magtatag, walang problem,” Cayetano  told reporters.

But he said the Senate sergeant-at-arms had been advised to make sure that the persons ordered  arrested and detained by the Senate blue ribbon committee would not hide or disappear.

“They will not execute, ibig sabihin andyan pa rin yung order, babantayan pa rin nila pero hindi nila aarestuhin at dadalhin  dito. Just because it’s the more prudent thing to do,”  Cayetano said.

“The decision could have been different if we’re talking about people na nagtatago na, or alam natin kung nasaan at kailangan agad hulihin but in this case, to be fair kay Mayor Junjun, he has a legal challenge sa pag-appear dito pero hindi naman sya nag tatago,” he pointed out.

It was  Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the blue ribbon committee who moved to cite  Binay and the five  other persons  in contempt upon  recommendation of Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, chairman of the bus ribbon subcommittee. Guingona’s  motion was seconded by Senator Antonio  Trillanes  IV.

But  Sotto took the  floor and questioned the decision of  Guingona’s  committee, particularly  the absence of majority members  when it decided on the  issue. This prompted Senate  President  Franklin Drilon to refer the matter to the committee on rules.

Another opposition member, Senator  Nancy Binay, also questioned, in an interview with reporters, the action of the  committee against her brother, saying it was not the decision of the entire  chamber but  of  only two senators, apparently referring to Guingona and  Trillanes.

Mayor Binay appeared once in the hearing of the subcommittee on the Makati City  2 carpark building but not after he questioned the authority  of the body  over the subject matter.