VP BINAY CANCELS SCHEDULED REBUTTAL OF GRAFT CHARGES

By Manny Pinol

The scheduled “presidential” style public appearance of Vice President Jejomar Binay to refute and rebut charges of graft and corruption against him has been cancelled.

Radio Station DZMM of ABS-CBN Network minutes ago announced that Binay’s public address will not push through because the Vice President said he has to attend to his typhoon-stricken provincemates in the Cagayan Valley area.

It was not announced when the public address will be made.

Vice President Binay has been reeling from charges of graft and corruption aired by his former vice mayor and alleged bagman Ernesto Mercado.

Mercado, in his testimony before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said that the vice president made hundreds of millions through his 13 percent commission from all business transactions in the Makati City government when he was still mayor.

Mercado said he personally delivered the duffel bags containing the money to the then mayor, his son and now Makati Mayor Junjun Binay and his wife and former mayor Elenita Binay.

The Binay camp has branded the accusations as politically motivated but has so far failed to submit a more believable explanation.

The public statement which was supposed to have been aired live on TV was supposed to address all the charges and refute the accusations.