VP Binay vows to hit back at some senators

ABS-CBNnews.com

Says Senate blue ribbon sub-committee probe 'one for the books'

MANILA - The ongoing investigation of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee into various allegations of corruption against Vice President Jejomar Binay is "one for the books," the country's second highest official said, noting it has already dragged on for too long.

"Yung sa Senate, one for the books iyan kasi kita mo yung importanteng imbestigahan, yung sa (Mamasapano) massacre, wala na. Dalawang beses lang ata. Itong abot-abot ang kasinungalingan, labinglima na," Binay said in a radio interview on Friday.

He reiterated that the public is no longer swayed by the alleged lies being peddled by his accusers before the Senate.

"Ayaw pa kasi nilang maniwala na hindi tumatalab na. Tapos na ang effectiveness noon... Sa pagkakataon pong ito mga kababayan, katulad ng mga sinasabi ko sa mga nakakausap ko, maraming salamat kasi nakikita ko marami namang hindi naniniwala. Halos lahat sa mga pinupuntahan kong lugar sinasabi nila na politically motivated lang iyan at hindi po kami naniniwala sa mga sabi-sabi," he said.

He maintained that the hearings being conducted by the subcommittee are not in aid of legislation and are only meant to hurt his chances in the 2016 presidential elections.

"Kita mo naman kung paano yung ginagawang paninira," he said, citing the most recent allegation -- that he pocketed more than P200 million in kickbacks from a deal between the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) and Alphaland Corporation.

"Ang nakakatuwa roon, talagang kung magsinungaling 'tong nag-aakusa sa'min, yung exaggeration, di ba yung nagbintang noong 350 hectares? Yung tunay na may-ari, sinasabi 100 hectares lang. Ito, nagsimula 'to sa P200 million, ngayon P651 million na. Ano lang ang ebidensya niya? 'Eh yung ganitong ibinababa eh siyempre binigay kay Vice.' Mga ganoon lang eh. Mga assertion lang 'to eh," Binay said, pertaining to former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado.

'MAGHAHABLA NA PO AKO'
According to Binay, he will soon hit back at his accusers, including the senators involved in the investigation. "Sa mga darating na araw po, abangan niyo po at maghahabla na po ako."

"Kung mapapakita namin, kung may ebidensya kami, na hindi na sila covered ng immunity kasi yung iba riyan nagpa-interview [at] lumabas sa dyaryo. Hindi na kasama yun sa immunity. Ang immunity must be during the hearing," he said.

The Vice President, meanwhile, criticized Senator Alan Peter Cayetano for pushing him to attend the Senate hearings, noting his (Binay's) earlier statement that resigned Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima should speak up about the bloody Mamasapano operation.

"Bakit daw si General Purisima hinahanapan kong humarap? Hindi po apple to apple ang ating definition. Palagay ko, kung alam mo yung demeanor ng pupuntahan mo eh nambabastos, [sinasabihan kang] 'magnanakaw,' ganoon ang language, hindi ka naman makasagot dahil sinisigawan ka, tinatakot ka pa."

"I also have to protect the name of my Office. Yun lamang pong nagsasabi na bakit hindi ako nagpapaliwanag, hindi lamang limang beses na akong nagpaliwanag. Nandiyan ang mga press conference. Nandiyan yung humaharap ako sa ibang occasion. Pinaliwanag ko na ng hindi lang limang beses. Di ba't may kasabihan na kung ayaw maniwala, nagbibingi-bingihan? Ganoon lang naman yun," he said.

Binay said he just leaves everything to God. "I'll be a hypocrite kung sasabihin kong ako at aking pamilya ay [hindi] naaapektuhan. Pero nakukuha naman yun sa dasal," he said.