Trillanes: ‘I have every right to say Binay is corrupt’

DEBATE. Senator Antonio Trillanes IV (right) hits Vice President Jejomar Binay, the presidential candidate of Senator Gringo Honasan (left) at the vice presidential debate on April 10, 2016.

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Antonio Trillanes IV took the opportunity to call out Vice President Jejomar Binay on Sunday, April 10, as the vice presidential bets tackled corruption at the Pilipinas 2016 debate at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

This happened when Binay’s running mate, Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), was asked how he plans to fight corruption when he is supposedly involved in the pork barrel scam.

Honasan allegedly pocketed P1.75 million in development funds for the poor through fake non-governmental organizations.

“Kapag umabot sa korte, haharapin ko ‘yan. Pero ‘yung trial by publicity, lalabanan ko ‘yan (If it reaches the court, I will face that. But I will fight trial by publicity),” replied the senator of 18 years.

But Trillanes said he could not accept Honasan’s answer, saying he is only echoing a classic line of the Vice President, who is hounded by corruption allegations. The senator was among those who led the Senate probe into the accusations against Binay.

“With all due respect, I would have to disagree kasi ‘yan po ang linya ni Vice President lagi. In my case, ako po ay nag-imbestiga, ako po ay imbestigador. Nakita ko po ‘yung mga dokumento at sa aking paniniwala, si Vice President Binay ay nangurakot,” said Trillanes, one of Binay’s staunchest critics.

(With all due respect, I would have to disagree because that is the usual line of the Vice President. In my case, I was an investigator. I saw the documents and I believe that Binay was corrupt.)

"Nobody can change that kasi ‘yan po ang aking paniniwala and I have the right also to say that dahil nakita ko mismo, na-interview ko ‘yung mga testigo at nakita ko ‘yung mga dokumento, so I have every right," Trillanes added.

(Nobody can change that because that is my belief and I have the right to say that because I interview the witnesses and saw the documents for myself. So I have every right.)

He, along with Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and fellow vice presidential bet Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, led a more than yearlong Senate probe into accusations of corruption and unexplained wealth against Binay during his time as Makati mayor.

Binay was seen booing Trillanes from his seat inside the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion, the venue of the debate co-organized by the Commission on Elections, CNN Philippines, BusinessMirror, and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.

The UNA standard-bearer was the only presidential candidate who attended the VP debate. – Rappler.com