Binay camp pushes for audit of Pimentel, Cayetano, and Trillanes’ PDAF

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III (2nd from left), chairperson of the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee, confers with Senator Antonio Trillanes IV during the Senate hearing on the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Parking Building II and related anomalies in Makati City on Tuesday (July 7, 2015). (Avito C. Dalan / PNA)

MANILA — Vice President Jejomar ‘Jojo’ Binay’s camp has a new demand: Audit Pimentel, Trillanes, and Cayetano.

Binay’s political spokesman, Rico Quicho, announced their camp’s demand Tuesday for respective agencies to conduct an audit of how Senators Aquilino Pimentel III, Antonio Trillanes IV, and Alan Peter Cayetano used their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

The audit also includes any projects financed through the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

“Their infrastructure projects should also be audited using the Langdon and Seah Construction Cost Handbook, which they have invoked in the hearings and subsequent report,” Quicho said in a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The Langdon and Seah Construction Cost Handbook is the same handbook used by the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee to cross-check the costs of constructing the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall Building II.

Both Pimentel and Trillanes were not opposed to the audit, saying that it’s already been the practice of the Commission on Audit. Trillanes even pointed out that all audit reports are available on their website to be made accessible to the public.

“All PDAF projects are regularly audited with or without our consent,” Pimentel said, as quoted in an ABS-CBN report.

“They [Binay camp] should answer the numerous allegations of corruption against them,” Trillanes said.