(MENAFN- EIN Presswire)
PHILIPPINES, July 7 -
Press Release
July 4, 2024
Transcript of Senator Nancy Binay's Interview on ANC's DATELINE with Karmina Constantino
July 04, 2024
Question: The former chairperson of the Senate committee on accounts now joins us on the program, Senator, good afternoon to you thanks for joining us today and thanks for taking our cal.
Sen. Nancy Binay-Angeles: l yes good afternoon Karmina, and good afternoon to all your followers.
Q: Alright, Senator, how close are you to elevating the grievances to the ethics committee and what will be contained therein.
SNBA: Well, at the moment I am still waiting for the official transcript from the hearing yesterday and then hopefully I'll be meeting with my legal team to verify and check if there's really a basis for me to file an ethics complaint.
Q: But at this point, what do you think went wrong yesterday?
SNBA: Well, di ba parang the never-ending name calling that happened yesterday for me is not, for a senior senator to be saying those words parang it's a reflection of a person that is not a statesman.
Q: Senator, why did you, first of all, before the walkout happened, why did you choose to participate in the hearing yesterday?
SNBA: Well, I was monitoring the hearing in my room, but when Senator Alan was forcing DPWH to apologize for, well according to him for saying the wrong amount, I decided to go down and participate because the DPWH were not given the opportunity to explain their side, every time that they wanted to give an explanation to their answers, Sen. Alan would always cut them off and say stop or you're not saying the right answer.
Q: And that prompted you to just go down and sort of set things straight.
SNBA: Yes, and I think another issue that we are also contemplating as part of the ethics complaint is that allegation that the media can be paid, based on his statement that I've been feeding the questions raised to me in radio interviews. And siguro just to set the record straight I did not feed anything to you, because this is my fourth interview today and more or less they've been asking the same questions.
Q: Yes, and Senator, is that something that you would do, feed questions, I mean you've been in politics for a long time, even before as you were working for your father then, is that something that's been done by you, by your office, to feed media questions for any impending media interview?
SNBA: It's never been done by my office, and you know, at the end of the day, Karmina, I believe in the integrity of the media, that they will also not be a party to something like that, that a politican or their guest could feed the questions that would be asked them.
Q: Let's go back to what transpired between the two of you yesterday. Why did you choose to walk out, Madam Senator?
SNBA: Well, because I've already made my point. In fact, when I went out, I told Senator Alan that I only have one question. And when Usec. Sadain answered my question, if that amount really exists in their documents, and when he said there is none, on my end, the answer has been given to me, so there's no need for me to stay longer and the tension is already high, there's been name calling already so why would I subject myself to more name calling? In fact, it happened because when I left, it didn't end there. He said that buang ka day.
Q: Is this the first time you've encountered such language and such behavior from a fellow senator?
SNBA: Yes, Karina. This is the first time that I've attended a committee hearing wherein the chairperson of that committee would act that way. To a fellow senator, ha? To a fellow senator.
Q: I remember talking to you when you first got elected, we were asking you how do you think things will be given that you share the halls with the person that has remained a rival of your family, his family and your family, and I remember you answering then, you said, you know that's in the past, in so many words, you're going to move on from there, but with what happened yesterday, do you honestly think that you could move on? Did this bring about what happened in the past as well, all to the fore once again?
SNBA: You know, for me, Karmina, this is more than just a personal issue. At the end of the day, there's an institution that I think I also need to protect. And as you can see from the first hearing yesterday, this is not really about the Senate building, right? For him it's not about the Senate building, it's about that Makati-Taguigissue, the Binay-Cayetano issue. But for me, at the end of the day, I am just concerned about the institution because he is using the building for his personal ambition.
Q: Let's talk about the facts here. You are not the first chairperson of the accounts committee to handle this building, correct? This happened way before you.
SNBA: That's correct. And in fact, I personally spoke with Senator Ping Lacson. I suggested to him that maybe it's best if the three of us can talk together, being the former chairperson of the committee on accounts. And Senator Lacson sent a message to Senator Alan and he declined that invitation for the three of us to meet because there are things that were decided by Senator Ping Lacson during his term. And for me, it's best that he hears it from the source because I am not privy to what happened during the time of Senator Ping Lacson.
Q: Just so you can all be on the same page.
SNBA: Yes, because at the end of the day, the goal is to finish the building. We are paying a big amount for our rental in GSIS. You know Karmina, just for the open parking in the GSIS facility, we're already paying P100 million for an open space parking. So for me, we want to stop that bleeding because we've I guess spent I think close to P4 billion on rentals alone. So during that time, the whole Senate voted unanimously and supported the move of Senator Lacson to finally find a permanent home for the Senate.
Q: Alright. Let's talk about how this all began and let's talk about the facts. It all began when the newly installed Senate President, Francis Chiz Escudero, ordered an audit. But he also says he doesn't see any irregularity. The former chairperson of the accounts committee, Senator Panfilo Lacson, also says no irregularity. The former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri also saying no irregularities. The DPWH also saying no irregularities. With all those said, Madam Senator, how do you then explain what happened yesterday?
SNBA: Let's go back to what is the intention of the hearing. The intention of the hearing is to really find fault, right? Because as I've been saying, it reminds me, de javu of the 2016 Senate hearing that was done by Senator Cayetano. Remember, same senator, there's a building, there's hearings and there's a coming election. So for me, it all boils to that.
Q: Well, Senator, or Senate President, Chiz Escudero is also saying that this is just a review by the Committee on Accounts and not an investigation. He also emphasized that he is not accusing anyone. How did we come from that statement of the Senate President to what happened yesterday, Madam Senator?
SNBA: You know, I've been asking them the same question. I've been asking them to talk to me and ask me the questions. But you know, even I was shocked when he mentioned the amount 23 billion because based on our records, that amount does not exist because we've only bidded out phase one and phase two and the total of that is not 23 billion.
Q: Let's get into that. Let's get into the running cost. Where are you guys at at this point in terms of the running cost for the construction of the new Senate building?
SNBA: I am not familiar with the exact amount but from an 8.9 budget estimate the actual award was 8.06 for phase one and then for phase two I think the budget estimate was 2.5 and then it ended up at 2.3. So more or less that's 10, 11 billion. Yeah. That is the awarded amount.
Q: OK. Awarded amount. So now we're at about, where did the excess of 11 billion come from then? Because the total seems to be a little over 21 billion, minus the cost of the land, Senator. SNBA: I think... I don't know how they did their math because Karmina we're talking about the construction of the building and when you say cost of the construction of the building, you don't include the cost of the land. Right? Or you don't even include the systems or the furnitures that will be part of the building. We're just talking about the construction of the building and at the moment we've only awarded for phase one and phase two and the total is almost 11 billion.
Q: All right. Now we also know, so the 11 billion that's been paid for already, that's money out?
SNBA: Yes. Well, that has been awarded but we have not actually, there's no actual cash payment of that amount at the moment. Because it's a progress billing. So they need to complete milestone parts of the building before they can charge and collect actual cash from the Senate.
Q: Alright. Let's talk about variation orders because you and I both know, anyone who has gone through building anything in this country knows that there will be such things, the variation orders, right? How much have you received so far in terms of variation orders and how much of those have you rejected?
SNBA: Actually, I think we're already on variation six. But I also just inherited this from Senator Lacson, the figures for I think variation five and six. So at the moment I think we're on variation six for phase one and there's that variation order for phase two that we are still discussing at the moment. And it's very critical because the 77 percent completion of phase... there is a 77 percent completion of phase one and the remaining percentage, it's critical for the new chairperson to decide on what he will do with the variation order because it has an implication on how phase one will be completed.
Q: Of course, it has an effect on the timeline.
SNBA: Yes. For example, in the variation, we are talking about waterproofing. They can't install the equipment that -it forms part of the phase one if there's no waterproofing. And the waterproofing is part of the variation order. So there's like a chicken-egg situation that, you know, how can we finish phase one when there's no decision for this variation order?
Q: Explain to us, Senator, why does that happen? Why are there variations from the original design that would ultimately cost money?
SNBA: Well, number one, this is a design and build project. And not all variation orders have cost implication because there's also instances there is a deductible with the variation and there's a cap to a variation order where I think we're only allowed at 10% and after that we cannot already do any variation orders.
Q: How difficult is it really to be the chairperson of the accounts committee? How tedious is the process? So the public may know.
SNBA: Ang sabi ko nga, in a way I can say it was a blessing in disguise that I was taken out from this committee because I've been spending twice a week going around the building from basement one up to the 11th floor and really checking because in building a house, right, you check each corner, the size of the door or the finishing. So I've been doing that for the past year. You know sometimes I would conduct meetings from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. And the funny thing, Senator Alan or even SP Chiz, they have not visited the new Senate building. They don't know what they're talking about to begin with.
Q: Is it also part of the burden that you carried when you were still chairperson of the accounts committee, the recent history of your family, that they were also put through the wringer because of construction of several buildings in the city of Makati. Yun po ba ang naglalaro sa isip nyo nung kayo'y accounts chairperson, at kung naglaro man, ano yung epekto sa inyo?
SNBA: Ano ulit yun?
Q: Dahil nga po dun sa nangyari sa pamilya ninyo nung kayo po'y napabilang, yung ama nyo po at kapatid, they were involved in a controversy because of construction of buildings and all that in the city of Makati. Did that weigh in your mind, at any given time, when you were chairperson of the Accounts Committee when you would visit, when you would go through all these billables and progress billings, would that also be part of your consideration?
SNBA: For the record, I did not even ask for this committee. It was given to me by then-Senator Migz Zubiri because ang mindset niya during that time, since I'm already finishing my term, mas meron akong initiative to finish the building para din naman I can say that I was part of this building. I was able to participate in this new building. So ang mindset ko, I've been a good soldier when I was given the instruction to finish the building. So dun lang ang mindset ko is I have to finish this right, I have to finish it yung best value for money, na talagang each centavo will be worth it at hindi sosobra. Talagang value for money. Kasi yun din ang naging instruction sa akin ni Senator Ping. It has to be iconic. This is a legacy project.
Q: Hindi nyo po naisip na kailangan ko 'to pagbutihan kasi baka merong masabi, baka maulit na naman kung anong ibinato sa pamilya ninyo.
SNBA: Ah, yun din yung on Day 1, ang pronouncement ko na parang, nung una nga nagjo-joke ako na oh my God, same contractor, same last name di ba. But at the end of the day, I was given the task to finish the building. I have to do that and I have to do it right regardless of kung sino yung nakakuha ng project. And siguro just to state for the record, the Senate had no participation with the awarding of the contract. It was DPWH. And sabi ko nga, madali naman magtanong si Senator Alan because colleague na naman namin yung former Secretary of DPWH. He could have asked what went through dun sa DPWH when they were already doing estimates and when they bidded out this project.
Q: Let me ask you Senator, has Senator or Senate President Chiz Escudero reached out to you since what happened yesterday?
SNBA: Not yet. I don't know if he has an intention to speak to me because I think he had an interview two days ago and he was asked if he will talk to me and talagang he categorically said no.
Q: How are you two doing?
SNBA: I don't know. The last time we saw each other, was it before the break? I mean, we're okay. So I'm just... Also, that's a big question mark on my part, why are they doing this?
Q:Why are they doing this to you? Senator, sorry, you got cut off.
SNBA: Yeah, yeah. Why are they issuing all those pronouncements na they might not state directly an allegation, but the insinuation is obviously there.
Q: Alright. Just as a final question, Senator Nancy, granted you came into this when everything was set. You're the second, if I'm not mistaken, you're the second chairperson of the accounts committee, the third now being Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Granted that everything was set when you came into the picture. How is it not a bit too much? How do you justify this building to the Filipino public?
SNBA: I guess we need to go back with how much we are paying for our space in GSIS. We've been paying 400 million for I think 10 years. So it's close to four billion already, a property that we don't even own. So during the time when Senator Lacson started this project, that was the rationale that at the end of the day, why should we be paying for rental when we can already own a building? And I think we've been doing parliamentary visits, in different countries and they would always... It's a source of pride on their end to show that their Senate has this building. You know, Karmina, every time we have like a head of parliament visiting the Senate, you've seen the Senate and I don't think the Senate as an institution deserves a home like this.
Q: Alright. And this, just this final question, this building that's being constructed right now is not going to be just for the sitting senators in this Congress. It's going to be there forever.
SNBA: Yes, this building would be, it's meant to last forever. That's why it's an iconic structure. It's a legacy structure.
Q: Okay. Senator, please keep us posted if you so decide to elevate your grievances to the ethics committee. But in terms of percentage, are you 99.9% sure that you are going to elevate matters to the ethics committee?
SNBA: We will see. I am, I'll probably meet with my staff this afternoon. I'll keep you posted once I make the decision.
Q: Alright, Senator Nancy Binay there joining us this noon. Thanks again. Take care.
SNBA: Thank you.
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