‘Binay needs to answer allegations of corruption’
Vice President Jejomar Binay should answer corruption allegations being hurled against him despite his strong showing in presidential sur- veys, President Aquino said yesterday.
Aquino acknowledged that Binay – a long- time family friend – has been leading in pre- election popularity surveys.
“The impression has been that he has been at the forefront of the challenge, if we look at the surveys,” the President told reporters when asked if he agrees that Binay is still the man to beat in 2016.
Aquino, however, said that Binay’s chances in next year’s presidential elections depend on his ability to confront and weather all the issues he is
facing.
Binay, who heads the opposition United Nationalist Alliance, is the only politician who has declared his intention to seek the presidency in 2016.
‘Noy not aware of AMLC report’
The President has not been made aware of the biggest antimoney laundering case so far involving the second highest elected official in the land.
Aquino earlier distanced himself from the freeze order issued by the Court of Appeals (CA) on the alleged ill-gotten wealth of Binay and his family.
The CA granted a petition of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to issue a freeze order on 242 bank accounts allegedly belonging to Binay, members of his family and his associates.
AMLC noted that Binay’s salary as a government official does not match his bank accounts.
Aquino likewise apparently absolved members of the ruling Liberal Party on the allegation from Binay’s camp that LP stalwarts managed to obtain copies of the AMLC report.
LP vice chairman and Senate President Franklin Drilon, who figured in the allegedly overpriced construction of the Iloilo Convention Center, yesterday debunked the Vice President’s challenge to the AMLC to look into his bank accounts as well.
In a statement, the senator’s chief-of-staff Rey Bantug said that accusations against Drilon in connection with the ICC, which was partly funded through the Disbursement Acceleration Program, had already been dismissed by the ombudsman.
“This only proves that every peso spent for the project was well accounted for and it is aboveboard,” Bantug said.
Binay thanks P-Noy
Binay said he is ready to answer all the allegations against him and his family should state agencies leading the investigations show “willingness to listen to us and to be impartial.”
Binay made the statement after the President said that his chances of winning the presidency in 2016 would depend on how he will defend himself from accusations that he was involved in corruption when he was Makati mayor.
“I wish to thank President Aquino for his statement but allow me to point out that until now, the AMLC has yet to give us an official copy of the report that has been leaked to media,” he said.
“I am confident that we can debunk all the false, erroneous and misleading conclusions of AMLC,” Binay said.
The Vice President maintained that the AMLC report is part of a conspiracy of the LP “to unleash government agencies against my family and private individuals in their efforts to malign me.”
Binay said the senators leading the investigation on the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building 2 and other anomalies hurled against him have prejudged him and declared him guilty.
“They have deprived government officials and private individuals of their constitutional right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law,” he said.
“They harass and bully those who speak the truth and state the facts, while tolerating and encouraging our political opponents to make false and baseless statements,” he added.
The corruption allegations against Binay pulled down his ratings in presidential surveys.
Recent electoral surveys, however, showed that Binay remains the top presidential contender in 2016. He is closely followed by Sen. Grace Poe, who is reportedly being groomed as LP’s presidential or vice presidential bet next year.