Junjun ready to be arrested

MANILA, Philippines - He will wait at the Makati City Hall for his arrest.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay said yesterday he was willing to be arrested and detained following the decision of the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee to cite him in contempt for refusing to attend its hearings.

“We will wait for the Senate sergeant-at-arms to go to the city hall,” Binay told reporters, saying arresting officers would be welcomed and need not go up to the mayor’s office to serve the warrant.

“We will wait for them and allow ourselves to be detained,” he said, abiding by the decision of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee.

He said he respects the Senate, but is standing by his decision not to attend the hearings on alleged corruption in the construction of the Makati City Hall Building 2 and the Makati Science High School.

Binay said he was saddened by the decision of the committee, but he had to fight for his principles and for justice.

At least 3,000 Makati City residents wearing black shirts gathered yesterday at the city hall grounds, carrying placards in support of their mayor. “Itigil ang paninira sa mga Binay” and “Serbisyo muna bago pulitika” read some of the placards.

“The decision of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee pains me, but fighting for what I believe is right in order to put a stop to the abusive use of power of some senators is a matter of principle,” Binay said.

“I do realize I am but a lowly mayor, compared to the lofty and powerful senators of the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee. I never once thought of going against the Senate, much less incurring the ire of the senators,” he added.

Advance copy

Binay said he only wanted to be furnished an advance copy of the questions before attending the hearings, a right he said was upheld by no less than the Supreme Court.

He recalled how he had been humiliated and harassed by the senators when he attended the first hearing. He said he decided to attend the hearing despite the advice of their allies that the probe may be used to damage the name of his father, Vice President Jejomar Binay.

“At the start of the hearings, I went willingly and without apprehension because all I wanted was to finally shed light on the wrong accusations and allegations being thrown at us,” the mayor said.

Binay said it was apparent that he was being treated as an accused and not as a resource person. “Contrary to their statements to the media and even their own invitation, their actions made me feel they had prejudged me as guilty and had no respect for my rights as a person,” he said.

He said some senators kept on cutting him off in mid-sentence and mocking him while he was answering their questions. He said the other city officials received the same treatment.

“I deeply respect the Senate as an institution. But it was not I who had tarnished its dignity. The three senators and their so-called witnesses have been the ones destroying its good name and integrity as an institution,” Binay said, apparently referring to Sens. Teofisto Guingona III, Alan Peter Cayetano and Antonio Trillanes IV.

Bias, lies

He also cited the bias of some senators, who allowed other witnesses to “continue peddling lies and malicious accusations” while “oppressing” him and other Makati City officials.

“I am merely a mayor, not a lawyer, but I know that the Constitution recognizes the rights of all citizens,” Binay said.

“The persecution that my family and I have suffered is just too much. The oppression of people who are supposed to explain their side – as witnesses and not as the accused – is just too much,” Binay added.

VP hurt

The Vice President is hurt over the plight of his son and six other Makati City officials, according to his spokesman.

“Any parent would get hurt if that happens to their son,” Rico Paolo Quicho, Binay’s spokesman for political affairs, said in an interview over GMA 7, in reaction to the treatment his son is getting from some senators.

The Vice President has yet to issue a statement regarding the contempt charges.

In a text message to The STAR, Quicho said they “respect the decision of the Blue Ribbon committee without prejudice to any available legal remedies to protect the rights of the city officials.”

On Sunday, the Vice President said his son was just defending his principles by not appearing before the Senate hearing.

“My son’s principles are at stake here,” he said in an ambush interview in Taguig City.

Quicho said they were considering filing a motion for reconsideration should the Senate order the mayor’s arrest.

“We will continue to respect the Senate. We are ready whatever their decision will be,” he added. –With Jona Espejo, Helen Flores