More senators sign draft report vs VP; fair court will dismiss it – Binay camp

Ten senators have already signed the draft report of the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee that recommended the filing of plunder charges against Vice President Jejomar C. Binay and his associates.

Those who signed the report are Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-panel and the one who drafted the report; Miriam Defensor Santiago, Pia Cayetano, Francis “Chiz” Es-

cudero, Grace Poe Llamanzares, Antonio Trillanes IV, Alan Peter Cayetano, Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, Sergio Osmeña III, and Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.

Binay camp confident But the camp of the Vice President shrugged off the reports and expressed confidence that the findings of the subcommittee will be dismissed by a “competent, impartial and fair tribunal.”

Lawyer Rico Quicho, Binay’s spokesman for political concerns, stressed that “the signing by the senators of the committee report does not necessarily equate to the culpability of the Vice President.”

“The supposed findings and recommendation of the hostile and highly partisan investigation conducted by the sub-committee are conveniently based on hasty conclusions, inadmissible evidence, and malicious narrative of defeated local politicians,” Quicho said.

According to Quicho, Binay “understands that the political lines have been drawn in the Senate, considering the dismal and lethargic performance of some politicians with ambitions to higher office.”

“It is no longer surprising that issues hurled against the Vice President have been used and abused for personal agenda,” he said.

Binay, Quicho said, “remains steadfast that in the end the truth shall prevail and he would be able to bring to the entire country the propoor programs he implemented in Makati that have benefited those in need.”

Trillanes resolution The case against Binay stemmed from Trillanes’ resolution asking the Senate to investigate the alleged overpriced 11-story Makati City Hall Building II and other anomalies linked to the Vice President and his family.

Pimentel said once the Senate approves the committee report, they will submit their findings to the Office of the Ombudsman.

“I am signing the blue ribbon report because the findings that the Makati City Hall Building II was overpriced and that its surrounding bidding process was irregular were largely unrefuted and unanswered,” Aquino said in a statement.

Deeper probe

Aquino said the findings of the panel warrant the need for a government agency, in this case, the Ombudsman, to look deeper into the case and study the culpability of those involved in the illegal transaction.

“These findings warrant that the appropriate government agency further investigates the matter and file the corresponding charges, as it deems proper,” he said.

Escudero, who backed Binay’s vice presidential bid in the 2010 elections, said that in signing the report, he believes Binay will finally have the chance to answer the allegations hurled against him in the proper forum.

“Based on what was presented at the Senate and, once cases are filed, he will finally have the chance to answer ‘at the proper forum’ which is what he has been claiming and saying,” Escudero said in a text message.