Remulla: Trillanes should admit bullying

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. Photo courtesy of Trillanes’ Facebook page.

MANILA — Cavite Governor and Vice President Jejomar Binay’s spokesman Jonvic Remulla urged Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to admit that he bullied a contractor who was supposed to testify for the Binay family during the Senate hearing regarding the allegedly overpriced Makati City parking building.

According to Remulla, Trillanes should answer the accusation on Wednesday that he bullied and cursed the representative of Hillmarcs Construction. The said company was the contractor of the controversial building.

“Did he or did he not bully and curse the representative of Hillmarcs? Simple question, simple answer are what the people are looking for,” Remulla said.

Remulla also expressed his disappointment over Trillanes’ approach in asking the Vice President to provide proof regarding the incident.

“When it’s the Vice President making statements, Senator Trillanes says show proof first. But when it’s their local political allies who are the Vice President’s detractors making baseless and malicious remarks in a Senate hearing, he does not demand proof and in fact coaches and guides them in their answers. This is a clear case of double standard,” Binay’s spokesman added.

Remulla said that he also see how Trillanes has double standards in investigating the persons involved. He cited Trillanes’ failure to ask the former vice mayor of Makati regarding the supposed kickbacks he received from the said project.

“There is clear double standard when you allow a person like the former vice mayor to get away with a tacit admission of violating the laws without so much as an admonition from Senator Trillanes. In contrast, auditors and specialists from the Commission on Audit, the contractor and Makati officials including Mayor Junjun Binay were bullied,” Remulla stressed.

He added that Binay will not file charges against Mercado even if the latter’s statements are disproved.

Aside from Mercado, Remulla is also questioning Trillanes on how he did not reproach Renato Bondal. Bondal is the one who disclosed that the birthday cakes being given by the local government of Makati to its senior citizens are priced at P1,000 each. His statement is based on a “guess.”

“Why didn’t Senator Trillanes admonish this person, or charge him with perjury for lying under oath? These persons are flouting the law in front of the senators yet they are being treated with kid gloves,” Remulla noted.

He added, “The way the hearing is being conducted and the demeanor and statements of Senators Trillanes and Alan Cayetano are those of a prosecutor, not an impartial legislator crafting laws.”