Makati mayor snubbing Senate hearing on building row

Saying the Senate has prejudged him and his family, Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. on Thursday said he will not attend hearings of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee on alleged irregularities surrounding the Makati City Hall Building II.

In a statement he read Thursday morning, Binay said he is questioning the authority of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and its subcommittee to summon him to its hearing.

"(N)agdesisyon ako na panahon na para liwanagin at kwestyunin ang hurisdiksyon ng subcommittee at (Senate) blue ribbon committee mismo. May hinanda akong liham... aking hinahamon ang hurisdiksyon ng subcommittee at blue ribbon committee. Naaayon ito sa patakaran ng Senado at aking karapatan bilang mamamayan," he said in a press briefing, parts of which were aired on dzBB radio.

"Hanggang maresolba ang issue na ito karapatan ko na pansamantalang hindi dumalo sa pandinig sa Senado," he said.

The mayor said he and his family had been prejudged by some senators probing the supposed irregularities surrounding the Building II of the Makati City Hall.

He claimed he was treated rudely but his accusers were even "defended" by some of the senators.

"(D)uring the course of the hearing, it became apparent the proceedings were not in the pursuit of truth but in furtherance of personal agenda. Worse, the senators have prejudged me and my family, lahat kayo naging saksi rito," he said.

Binay claimed some of the senators tried to scare the witnesses but would accept what he called the lies of some of the resource persons.

Some of the Binays' accusers were even accepted into the government's witness protection program, he said.

"Nang ako sumasagot sa kanilang tanong, malinaw na hindi ako pinakikinggan ... pag nagsasalita ang iba at nagsasalita ng kasinungalingan, sila ang pinapanigan, inaalayan at dinedepensahan," he said.

The actions of some members of the Senate subcommittee show he and his family had been prejudged, he added.

"Kahit hindi pa nagsimula ang pagdinig, malinaw na kami ay nahatulan na," he said.

The Senate blue ribbon subcommittee is conducting hearings on the alleged overpricing of the construction of the 11-storey Makati City Hall Building II, which according to one witness was overpriced by 300 percent or about P2 billion.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, who was the city mayor during the construction of the building in 2007 and his son Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, who was a councilor at the time, are facing plunder and graft charges over the building row. [See infographic on Makati City Hall Building II] — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News