Senate junks Binay’s request to see questions prior to hearing

Vice President Jejomar Binay (Facebook photo)

MANILA – Chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III on Wednesday said that he rejected the request of Makati City officials who are asking to get the list of possible questions that will be asked to them during the inquiry.

He said that he sees no reason for the committee to provide the questions to the city officials.

“I am not aware of any right of a resource person, witness, or even a suspect in a hearing for accountability, which will give them the right to ask for advance questions, and if they’re not given, refuse to appear,” he said.

The panel will look into the allegations about the supposed overpricing of Makati City Hall Building II and Makati Science Building.

Based on testimonies, Vice President Jejomar Binay apparently got kickbacks from the said projects when he was still the mayor.

Binay’s camp were quick to deny the allegations.

The subcommittee endorsed that the Vice President’s son Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. and six other officials be cited for contempt for failure after not being able to attend the previous hearings.

Pimentel submitted the recommendation to the blue ribbon committee headed by Sen. Teofisto Guingona III.

The blue ribbon committee will talk about Pimentel’s recommendation during their meeting on Jan. 26. Guingona already sent the letter to all the members regarding the scheduled meeting.