SENATOR Aquilino Pimentel III has realized that he should not have supported then Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay in his successful vice presidential run in 2010.
Pimentel issued the statement on Tuesday after the Vice President, a former member of the senator's Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), dared him to be “man enough” and proceed with his "demolition job."
The senator, however, said that his request for an expedited performance and financial audit of all the shelter agencies for the period that Binay was chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) is "not part of and not meant to be a demolition campaign" against him.
"Have we forgotten that 'public office is a public trust?' As HUDCC chair, you have issued a 'milestone report.' The people have a right to know the accuracy of the contents of your report," Pimentel said.
Pimentel, chairman of Senate blue ribbon subpanel investigating the corruption allegations against Binay, said the hearings are also not part of a “demolition campaign” against the Vice President.
He said the allegation that the construction of the Makati City Hall Building 2 is overpriced has been proven.
“As someone who campaigned and voted for you as vice president in 2010, I feel that I got fooled by your catchy slogan ‘Kay Binay, Gaganda ang Buhay,’ because what has been revealed in the Senate hearings is that ‘Si Binay, Gumanda ang Buhay’!” he added.
Pimentel, in his partial subpanel report, recommended the filing of plunder charges against Binay and several others in connection with the alleged overpriced parking and office building.
Binay however said the findings of the report are "uncorroborated and faulty" as it was not based on fact but on "mere conjectures and erroneous assumptions."
In response, Pimentel challenged the Vice President to appear before the Senate on July 7 to refute all the allegations issued against him.
He said that the appearance of the Vice President may be his “final chance” to ferret out the truth to the public. (Sunnex)