SEN. Nancy Binay yesterday filed an ethics complaint against Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano for his alleged unparliamentary behavior during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Accounts last week on the ballooning cost for the construction of the new Senate building (NSB) in Taguig City.
Binay alleged Cayetano committed slander through “malicious imputations” that she allegedly “fed” questions during media interviews related to the NSB issue; resorted to name calling; and for supposedly not allowing resource persons to properly respond to questions during the hearing.
Binay said Cayetano should be held accountable for alleged violations of the Senate Rules, the Civil Code, Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability for lawyers, and the Magna Carta for Women, among others.
In her complaint, Binay asked the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, which is chaired by Senate majority leader Francis Tolentino, to impose the appropriate sanction and penalty on Cayetano “commensurate to the gravity of his offense.”
A copy of the complaint was given to the office of Cayetano.
In a press conference after the filing of the complaint, Binay said she took offense when Cayetano alleged that she “fed:” or gave advance questionnaires to different radio stations when she was interviewed at least 10 times in relation to the NSB issue.
“Pero para sa akin ang pinaka-grabe is yung pag-accuse niya na nagbibigay ako ng copy doon sa sampung radio interviews…a set of questions (For me, the gravest accusation was when he said that I give advance questions during radio interviews),” she said.
She said it also did not sit well with her when Cayetano reminded her that her name is Maria Lourdes, not “marites,” a popular Filipino slang for rumor mongers.
She said she also found it unfair that resource persons from the Department of Public Works and Highways were not given enough chance to answer questions during the hearing.
“Tapos every time na mag-e-explain ‘yung DPWH sa tanong nila, kina-cut off niya. Hindi ba paulit-ulit naman nilang sinasabi this is a review? So, kung review ito bakit yung resource persons hindi nabibigyan ng pagkakataon mag explain? (Each time the DPWH tries to explain, they were cut off. Didn’t they say that the hearing was a review? So, if it’s a review, why don’t they give the resource persons the chance to properly explain?),” she said.
Binay and Cayetano engaged in a heated argument last week when Binay clarified during the hearing of the Committee on Accounts, which is chaired by Cayetano, that the actual cost for the construction of the new Senate building has only reached more than P21 billion, not more than P23 billion as the committee chairman was saying.
Binay said her figures were based on DPWH documents. Cayetano, on the other hand, said his figure was based on documents provided by the Senate Coordinating Team.
Cayetano said the amount of P23 billion included the more than P1 billion acquisition cost of the lot where the building is being built.
Binay was the former Senate Committee on Accounts chairperson before Cayetano took over after the change in Senate leadership last May 20. The committee is in-charge of overseeing the construction of the NSB.
At the height of their argument, Cayetano reminded Binay that her name is “Maria Lourdes,” and not “marites,” insinuating that her information was based on hearsay.
Cayetano was also heard telling Binay, “Nabuang ka na ‘day (You have gone crazy, lady),” when she walked out of the hearing.
MAKATI BUILDING
During her press conference, Binay said that her brush with Cayetano reminded her of what happened in 2015 when the latter participated in the Senate inquiry on alleged corrupt projects in Makati City when her father, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, was still the city mayor.
Binay said she does not want her children to suffer the same trauma that she felt when her father was investigated by the upper chamber.
Binay asked Tolentino to schedule a hearing on her complaint when Congress resumes regular sessions on July 22.
According to the Rules of the Senate, the upper chamber may punish any of its members for disorderly behavior by suspending such member not more than 60 days, or expelling him or her with the concurrence of two-thirds of the entire membership.
‘EYES ON THE BALL’
For his part, Cayetano said he will remain focused on conducting a factual and independent review of the NSB.
“Eyes on the ball tayong lahat. Ang ginagawa ni Senator Binay from start, nililito tayong lahat eh (We must keep our eyes on the ball. What Senator Binay is doing is to confuse us from the very start),” Cayetano said in a chance interview at an event held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Cayetano said the focus should be on the ballooning cost of the NSB — from an initial amount of P8.9 billion to more than P23 billion.
“Ang isyu ay ‘yung P23 billion. Ano ba ang mas importante sa tao — ang tingin niya sa akin at ano ang tingin ko sa kanya? Or kung ano talaga ang nagyayari diyan sa building? (The issue here is the P23 billion. The question is what is more important to the people? Her impression of me or my impression of her? Or what is really happening related to the construction of that building?),” he said.
He criticized Binay for not conducting a thorough review of the project during her stint as chairperson of the Committee on Accounts for two years, but is now too quick to file an ethics complaint against him.
As committee chairman, Cayetano said it is his duty to ensure a thorough and factual review of the NSB project.
“Sa akin napunta eh, kaya ire-recommend ko talaga sa 24 senators na ayusin natin ang tamang pondo. Ako, gusto kong ilabas ang tamang pondo kasi kung hindi, we will not get to the conclusion kung magkano ba talaga (The project was assigned to me, that’s why I will recommend to the Senate body that we fix the costing…I want the real amount to come out otherwise, we will not get to the conclusion as to how much really needs to be spent for the building),” Cayetano said.
STICK TO THE ISSUE
Cayetano said he believes that certain aspects of the project are overpriced, like the facade, which will cost P1.6 billion; broadcast and security system for P2 billion; and P663 million for landscaping.
Cayetao appealed to Binay to stick to the issue and discuss matters calmly and factually.
He also said Binay is welcome to attend the hearing on Wednesday.
“She can correct it anytime. Senator Nancy, linawin lang natin itong lahat nang mahinahon, sa tama…Himayin natin yang P23 billion na yan o kung tingin niya ay P21.7 billion nang mahinahon at sundin natin ang tamang Rules at ilabas natin ang tama, then mag-desisyon tayo kung paano matatapos ang building, kung ano ang tamang presyo nung building
(She can correct it anytime. Senator Nancy, let us clear this up in a calm and proper way. Let us scrutinize the P23 billion or that P21.7 billion following our Rules so we can bring out the truth. By that, we can decide on how the building can be finished and what we be the true cost of the building),’ he said.
Senate President Francis Escudero has ordered Cayetano to review the amount needed to construct the NSB since he said that P23 billion may be too much.
Escudero clarified that the review does not accuse anybody of irregularities as he only wants to know if the amount can really reach P23 billion or maybe even lessen it.
He also said that Cayetano and Binay are only human beings whose emotions also get high just like former senators who engaged in heated debates, including former Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Antonio Trillanes IV, and then senators Richard Gordon and Leila de Lima.
“Maybe that is part of being a senator. Senators are not robots since they have feelings that’s why I am appealing to our countrymen to just try to understand them,” Escudero said in Filipino during a radio interview last Saturday.
