MANILA, Philippines - Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco expressed disappointment for not being allowed to speak during the Senate Blue Ribbon-Subcommittee hearing on the Makati City Hall II parking building on Thursday morning.
Tiangco, United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) Interim President, and lawyer JV Bautista were sent out of the session hall for "gatecrashing" the hearing.
During an interview with radio dzMM, Tiangco said they were supposed to present medical records of former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado.
"Ang mapapatunayan nun siya mismo ang nagsabi na kung mapapatunayan na na-ospital siya, ipapa-off the record lahat ng kanyang sinabi dahil nagsinungaling siya.," Tiangco said.
The lawmaker added that they were sent out of the session hall without having been given a chance to explain that they have an evidence against Mercado.
"Di 'ba dapat tanungin man lang kung bakit ako magsasalita?" the lawmaker said.
When asked whether they had authorization from Vice President Jejomar Binay to deliver the evidence, Tiangco reiterated that they were authorized to speak regarding the matter but the vice president did not tell them to do so.
The UNA Interim President said that they will formalize the complaint to take Mercado's statements off the record because of the evidence that they have.