MANILA (4th UPDATE) — Sen. Nancy Binay filed on Monday an ethics complaint against Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano after a heated hearing that saw them trading barbs over the cost of the new Senate building being built in Taguig.

 In her complaint, Binay accused Cayetano of committing slander through "malicious imputations" that she was feeding questions to members of the media who interviewed her. 

 Binay said Cayetano should also be held accountable for his alleged violation of Senate Rules, the Civil Code, the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability for lawyers, the Magna Carta on Women, among others.

 Binay asked the panel to impose "appropriate sanctions and penalties" on Cayetano "commensurate to the gravity of his offenses."

 After submitting her complaint to Tolentino's office, Binay proceeded to Cayetano’s office and gave them a copy of the document.

In an interview, Cayetano said he is standing by his words during the July 3 hearing and called Binay's ethics complaint a diversion from the "real" issue.

"Ang ginagawa ni Senator Nancy from the start nililito tayong lahat eh. Alam niya namang walang mangyayari diyan sa ethics case eh," Cayetano said. 

"Simpleng-simple lang naman ito, isa lang pinaguusapan natin. Magkano talaga ang Senate building... We started this investigation, this review na wala tayong sinasabing may anomalya, wala tayong sinasabing may irregularity," Cayetano said.

BASIS OF COMPLAINT

In a press conference, Binay said she filed a complaint on three grounds: Cayetano’s name calling; the allegation the she fed the media questions during her radio interviews; and the way resource persons were treated during the inquiry where they were not allowed to respond properly.

“Makikita niyo na halos during the hearing nung Wednesday, parang siya lang yung salita nang salita tapos every time na mag-eexplain yung DPWH sa tanong nila, kina-cut off niya. Di ba paulit ulit naman nilang sinasabi this is about a review. So kung review ito bakit ‘yung resource person hindi nabibigyan ng pagkakataon na mag-explain?” Binay asked.

(You will see during the hearing on Wednesday, it was like he was the only one who kept talking and every time that DPWH explained, he cut them off. They repeatedly said this is about a review. So if this is a review, why is the resource person not given the chance to explain?)   

Citing documents from the DPWH, Binay earlier said that the cost of the new Senate building was around P21 billion, lower than the P23 billion that Cayetano reported.

It can also be recalled that Cayetano said the words “Nabuang ka na, day” which when translated means “You’ve gone crazy, lady,” as Binay was leaving the hearing.

She was also called “Marites” or someone who likes to gossip.

“Pero sa’kin ang pinaka-grave is ‘yung pag-accuse niya na nagbibigay ako ng copy doon sa sampung radio interviews… a set of questions," Binay said.

(For me the gravest is when he accused me of giving a set of questions for my radio interviews.)

Binay accuses Cayetano of 'unstatesmanlike' behavior
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FOR THE FAMILY

This is not the first time that Cayetano has clashed with a Binay. Cayetano, while Senate majority leader in 2014, was among the senators who participated in hearings into allegations of corruption in Makati, where then Vice President Jejomar Binay used to be mayor.

The governments of Makati and Taguig — the Cayetanos' bailiwick — also engaged in a word war over public services for residents of barangays that used to be part of Makati but that the Supreme Court ruled were under Taguig's jurisdiction.

No allegation of irregularity on new Senate building

During her press conference, Binay got emotional as she said she does not want to have a repeat of their 2015 ordeal.

“This is not just about me as a Senator, this is also about me as a mother. Naiiyak ako. Kasi alam ko yung pinagdaanan ng mga bata, hindi lang yung mga anak ko, pati yung mga pamangkin ko nung panahon na yun and hindi ako papayag na mauulit muli yung ganung pinagdaanan nila... If you’re a parent mas masakit kapag yung anak yung nasasaktan," she added.

(I’m getting teary. Because I know what the children went through, not just my kids, but also my nephews and nieces during that time and I will not allow that to happen again because, maybe it is hard to explain if you have not yet felt how it is to be a parent. If you’re a parent, it is more painful if your child gets hurt.)

“Magulang ako so kailangan kong protektahan din yung mga anak ko na ayoko na bumalik sila ng eskwelahan may magsasabi sa kanila na ‘Yung nanay mo pala siraulo’ kasi tinawag ni Senator Cayetano na ‘buang’."

(I am a parent so I need to protect my children I don’t want them to return to school where someone will tell them ‘Your mom is crazy’ because Senator Cayetano called me ‘buang.’)

Binay hopes that a hearing will be scheduled by the Committee on Ethics and Privileges when Congress resumes on July 22.

She leaves it to Tolentino and the Committee to decide if a penalty will be imposed on Cayetano, adding that she is willing to wait and see through the process.

According to the Senate Rules, the Senate may punish any member for disorderly behavior by suspending or expelling that member given that there is a concurrence of two thirds of the entire membership.

The suspension will not exceed 60 calendar days.

Binay also leaves it to Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on how he will respond to the turn of events.

She said she has not yet talked to both Cayetano and Escudero after the hearing.

Sen. Robin Padilla last week filed a resolution directing his Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media to look separately into the new Senate building.

Gatchalian tells Binay and Cayetano to 'sit down and talk'

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MANILA (4th UPDATE) — Sen. Nancy Binay filed on Monday an ethics complaint against Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano after a heated hearing that saw them trading barbs over the cost of the new Senate building being built in Taguig.

In her complaint, Binay accused Cayetano of committing slander through "malicious imputations" that she was feeding questions to members of the media who interviewed her. 

Binay said Cayetano should also be held accountable for his alleged violation of Senate Rules, the Civil Code, the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability for lawyers, the Magna Carta on Women, among others.

Binay asked the panel to impose "appropriate sanctions and penalties" on Cayetano "commensurate to the gravity of his offenses."

After submitting her complaint to Tolentino's office, Binay proceeded to Cayetano’s office and gave them a copy of the document.