CLARK FREEPORT –Sen. Antonio Trillanes III has moved to subpoena businessman Delfin Lee during the continuation of the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee hearing on the alleged overpriced Makati City Building II on Thursday.
Lee was mentionedin Pag-IBIG Fund President and CEO Darlene B. Berberabe’s opening statement during the hearing. Atty. Willy Rivera, Lee’s chief legal counsel, said this would be an opportunity for Lee to tell the truth about Pag-IBIG Fund.
“We are looking for the truth and how (Vice President Jejomar) Binay was handling the Pag IBIG. If this would help in determining the truth, my client welcomes it,” Rivera said. “We would like to tell the Senate why my client is being persecuted,” he added.
Lee is currently de-tained at the Pampanga Provincial Jail in the City of San Fernando for syndicated estafa. Lee has denied any wrongdoing and insisted on his innocence saying he is a “political detainee.”
The Pag-IBIG and the Boy Scouts of the Philippines are both headed by VP Binay being the country’s housing czar and the BSP’s national president. Several allegations against VP Binay had been raised in past hearings of the subcommittee, including bid riggings, receiving kickbacks during his term, and using dummies to advance his interest in several companies.
Accusations of alleged ownership of a 350-hectare property in Rosario, Batangas, a log cabin in Tagaytay Highlands, and units in several condominiums in Makati had also been hurled against him.
The Vice President has repeatedly denied the allegations, saying these were part of an operation to diminish his chances of winning in the 2016 presidential polls.
Binay was again absent at Thursday’s hearing as he had declined several invitations sent by both the Blue Ribbon subcommittee and the main committee for him to give his side on the issues.
His son, Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr, who attended the first hearing, also refused to show up at the succeeding hearings despite formal invitations, subpoena, and a show cause order, saying the committee has no jurisdiction over him on the matter.
Makati City officials who initially attended the hearings followed the lead of the younger Binay and were not present during the latest hearings.
Their actuation compelled sub-committee chair Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III to recommend to the main Blue Ribbon committee to cite them for contempt.
