MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay claimed on Tuesday that those investigating his alleged corrupt acts are threatened by his presidential bid.
Binay said his probers have opposed his political plan and so they are afraid of being held liable for their own offenses if he gets elected as president in 2016.
"Those investigating me are simply there because as they admitted they do not want me to even launch a presidential campaign, obviously fearing that should the people support me they would be made accountable for their misdeeds and abuse of power," Binay said.
"And they themselves want to be in power and see me as a threat to that ambition," he added.
Binay was apparently referring to Senators Alan Cayetano and Antonio Trillanes IV, members of the Senate Blue Ribbon Sub-Committee conducting the probe who had also declared their ambition to seek a higher position.
Binay made his statements as he again criticized the Senate investigation, which he believes is masquerading as "in aid of legislation."
"First, the so-called legislative agenda of that investigation has been unmasked as simply an inquisition designed to bring disrepute to my person by the abuse of parliamentary rules," Binay said.
Binay further claimed that the senators have resorted to "humiliating" him and and his family with "such viciousness."
The Vice President is urging Filipinos to examine closely the direction of the Senate probe.
"I ask our people to take a closer look at the so-called Senate subcommittee investigation to see what it really is," he said.
Binay and his family are being investigated for allegedly pocketing funds through various projects in Makati City such as the Makati City Hall II parking building.
Binay has refused to attend the Senate hearings and face his accusers. On Monday, a Social Weather Stations survey showed that 79 percent of Filipinos want him to testify at the upper chamber.
In an interview with radio dzMM, Binay's spokesman said the Vice President may consider facing the Senate if the investigation will be conducted by the main Blue Ribbon Committee.
"Tinanong natin, kung buong committee as a whole, baka sakali. Pero kung sub-committee lang eh di siya magko-consider," Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla said.