In a heated session of the Senate committee on accounts regarding the increased funding for the new Senate building, Senator Nancy Binay walked out after a contentious exchange with panel chairman Senator Alan Cayetano.
Cayetano initiated the inquiry following Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero's directive to review the building's cost, which has reportedly ballooned to P23 billion. However, Binay, the former chairperson of the panel, argued that the cost was P21 billion, not P23 billion.
"Do your math. P21 [billion] is not P23 [billion]. Mr. Chairman, pareho ba ang P21 [billion] at P23 [billion]?" Binay challenged.
Cayetano countered that the total cost is P23 billion, including P1.6 billion for land acquisition.
The argument escalated when Binay questioned Cayetano's demand for an apology from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) over their records. Cayetano accused Binay of disrupting the hearing and suggested she was orchestrating media questions to focus on the Makati-Taguig feud, a long-standing political rivalry between their families.
"Ano bang intention mo na guguluhin mo ang hearing natin? Ang dami mo nang inimbentong sa media, imbento ka naka-10 interview ka, baka ito naman 'yung Makati-Taguig, eh hindi mo man lang iniba question sa radyo. Lahat pare-pareho ang question, eksakto pa. Eh 'di halatang ikaw nagbigay ng question," Cayetano alleged.
Binay refuted Cayetano's claims, emphasizing that the DPWH had been trying to clarify the issues but were not given the chance.
"Kanina pa gusto magpaliwanag ng DPWH, hindi sila makapagpaliwanag nang maayos... Hindi ako ang nanggugulo, Mr. Chairman. Pagpasok ko pa lang ang gulo na ng hearing," Binay pointed out.
The tension peaked when DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain confirmed there was no P23 billion allocation in their documents. Binay then stated, "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I made my point. There's no such thing as P23 billion sa DPWH. Thank you, Mr. Chair," before walking out.
In response to her exit, Cayetano remarked, "Paulit-ulit na tayo kanina pa na P21.7 billion. Nabuang ka na 'day. Tapusin natin nang maayos 'to. Senado to ng Pilipinas. Hindi ito palengke."
In a subsequent interview, Binay compared the hearing to the 2015 Senate investigation into the Makati City Hall Parking Building, a project by her father, former Vice President Jejomar Binay. Cayetano played a significant role in that investigation, which Binay felt was a targeted attack on her family.
"This is a replay of the 24 Senate hearings noong 2015... Tingnan natin kung tatalunin ba nito 'yung record na 24 hearings," Binay remarked. She also expressed how the current hearing reopened old wounds from the past controversy.
Additionally, Binay criticized Cayetano for allegedly demeaning marketplace workers and for his remarks about media manipulation, calling it an "affront to the journalistic profession."
"I strongly condemn Senator Alan Peter Cayetano's insinuations that members of the Senate Media and radio anchors can be swayed or influenced by senators," Binay stated.
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