MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee investigation into the Makati City Hall II parking building resumed on Thursday with one senator denying that the probe intends to malign certain politicians.
Sen. Alan Cayetano said at the start of the fourth hearing that the inquiry aims to discover whether the national and local governments are serving fully the people.
"Let me state for the record that we are not here to destroy political foes or allies alike, but we are here to achieve the knowledge so that people will live in righteousness and government will be look up to," Cayetano said during the televised hearing.
Cayetano's statement appears to be a response to the claims of Vice President Jejomar Binay and his family that the Senate probe is politically motivated to bring them down.
Binay, who is facing a plunder complaint over the costly carpark building, has been accused of earning kickbacks from the project and rigging public biddings.
He has denied all the allegations though he has yet to face the Senate probe.
Officials of Hilmarc's Construction Corp., the contractor of the controversial building, are currently testifying in the hearing.