Makati mayor waiting to be arrested

MANILA, Philippines - Embattled Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay on Wednesday night said he would wait to be arrested at his office at the Makati City Hall before 9 a.m. today by the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms.

Makati City spokesman Joey Salgado siad that Binay did not issue any statement following news of the Senate's move to declare the arrest order against him and five other city officials valid.

"He has already said everything," Salgado said.

Binay vowed to continue with his "fight" not to attend Senate hearings even as the chamber failed to serve the arrest warrants for him and five other city officials at the end of office hours.

"Wala pong magaganap na pag-aresto ngayong araw na ito. Bukas po magkaka-hearing sa Senado. Gusto ko lang po sabihin sa inyo na very unreasonable ang ginagawa nila," Binay told some 4,000 cheering supporters gathered at the city hall grounds.

Binay told his supporters that the office of the Makati City Administrators Office received a letter from the Senate Wednesday afternoon asking for documents. He said the letter was received at around 5 p.m.

"May tinanggap na sulat ang ating city administration. Meron na naman pong hinihinging mga dokumento. Ang sulat dumating alas singko. Ang hinihinging dokumento ay napakarami," he said.

Binay reiterated that the Commission on Audit did not find anything anomalous in the construction of the Makati City Hall Building 2 when he faced the Senate blue ribbon subcommitee.

But Binay questioned why the COA did not act on the alleged anomaly behind the purchase of Taguig City of emergency vehicles.

"Noong una po tayong humarap wala pong nakitang anomalya ang COA sa Makati City Hall Building 2. Pero meron po tayong kapitbahay na lungsod nakita ng COA na maraming questionable na bagay bagay. Pero hanggang ngayong ang hamon po nati sa COA, magtayo ng special audit team dahil mga tao niyo na rin ang mga nagsabi na adverse at may mga hindi maipaliwanag po dyan," he said.

"Maging patas po tayo hindi po yung tayo lang ang tinigitignan. Bakit din sa Taguig, ang sabi ng COA may problema pero hanggang ngayon walang special audy team para hingan ng paliwanag ang buong pamunuan.Sana po hindi selective. Kapag mga binay hay nako lahat ng pahirap aabutin pero sa mga kakampi hindi po gumagana ang mga batas," he added.

"Dito po sa Makati tuloy ang laban," Binay told the cheering crowd.

Binay earlier said he is willing to be arrested by the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms for his continued refusal to attend the Senate's hearings on alleged corruption in the construction of the Makati City Hall Building 2 and the Makati Science High School.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Senator Teofisto Guingona Jr. had earlier approved the recommendation to cite in contempt Binay and Makati officials Eduviges "Ebeng" Baloloy, Marjorie De Veyra, lawyer Eleno M. Mendoza, Engineer Line Dela Pena, and Bernadette C. Portollano.

Makati City Science High School President Professor Tomas Lopez was spared after he indicated in a letter received by the Senate Monday morning that he would attend future hearings.

"We will wait for the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms to go to the city hall. Di na nila kailangang umakyat dito, sila po ay sasalubungin namin. Tatalima po kami sa naging desisyon ng senate blue ribbon committee," Binay earlier said.

Binay said his camp is still open to the filing of a motion for reconsideration before the Supreme Court.

"Pwede po kaming mag-file ng motion for reconsideration sa Supreme Court. Let it be clear na ako po ay kusang sumasama dahil maling mali na po ang ginagawa nila," he said.

"Hihintayin po natin. Magpapa-detain po tayo," Binay added.

Meanwhile, Binay ordered that the Philippine flag at the Makati City hall be lowered at half-mast in honor of the special action force police officers killed in Maguindanao.

Binay and his supporters alslo lit white candles and said a prayer for the slain police officers.