Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, an American citizen until 1998, continues to clash with his colleagues over issues as significant as the purported overprice of the news Senate building (NSB) at the ultra-expensive Bonifacio Global City (BGC.)
As late as July 18, 2024, he was still bashing those responsible for the huge outlay for the NSB, which he said “could be the most expensive building in the country” and told journalists as he “uncovered” documents that would pad the building cost to between P25 billion and P27 billion, which he thought was still “conservative.” After hibernating for a while, Cayetano the son, had found his “casus belli” and, conveniently, the object of his quiz was surnamed Binay, colleague Sen. Nancy Binay, who used to chair the committee on accounts.
Conveniently, too, the contractor who won the award to construct the NSB was Hilmarc’s Construction of Engr. Efren Canlas, who won the deal after bidding for P8-billion in 2019, saving the Senate some P500-million for an 11-storey edifice in a 1.8-hectare lot designed by the US firm Aecom. Then Senate President Tito Sotto swooned over the deal and said Canlas had assured him that the building will be ready by 2021. It wasn’t and now Senate President Chiz Escudero wanted the deal scrutinized to know why the original cost ballooned to P21-billion. The inquiry came after Binay was told to quit as chairwoman of the committee on accounts, which was originally headed by ex-Sen. Panfilo Lacson.
Binay revealed in May 2024 that Cayetano wanted to take over her post and so she gave way, noting that the senator from Taguig was eager to supervise the NSB project. Binay said she was able to keep costs low by maintaining the same workers that Lacson had for the project. The subtext of the move, of course, is that Cayetano was ready to look into every nook and cranny of the NSB since Binay belongs to the kingdom of Makati, which is at odds with the Cayetano principality. So, when Cayetano initiated the inquiry, which means that he was prepared for a quick draw. Binay retorted by preparing her own defenses, from clarifying figures about the NSB to wondering why investigations always start with a lot of theories in search of evidence.
On July 3, Binay attended Cayetano’s hearing and asked officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) about the cost of the building, saying the NSB did not cost taxpayers P23 billion. Cayetano shot back that the figures came from Binay’s staff and asked Binay what was the problem. He then accused Binay of making trouble during the hearing, compelling her to say that her interest was to have NSB completed for occupancy next year. Cayetano was miffed when the NSB issue was linked to the disputes between Makati and Taguig.
He said Binay may have also fed reporters with questions as the questions in 10 interviews were the same. “Sampung interview? Eksaktong lahat ng question? Coincidence? Ang galing mo naman,” Cayetano said. “Bakit naman ako magbibigay ng tanong sa mga media, Mr. Chairman? Baka gawain mo ‘yung nagbibigay ng tanong sa mga media. Excuse me,” Binay retorted as she stormed out. With the floor all his, Cayetano roared: “Nabuang ka na, ‘day.” Returning to his parliamentary decorum, with his nemesis gone, Cayetano concluded: “Tapusin natin ng maayos ito; Senado ito ng Pilipinas, hindi ito palengke.”
Indeed, the NSB issue resulted in fireworks, but Cayetano has been put on the defensive as Binay filed an ethics complaint against Cayetano, who, 15 days later, claimed that a mountain of documents chugged its way to his office and a roomful would suffice to show that all those papers “were kept hidden,” secreted away by parties to the deal so the Sherlock Holmes in Cayetano would not see them. Now, he has 24 hours a day to see them, parse them, connect all the dots in whatever puzzle he sees but rest a bit so his forehead won’t bleed.
Cayetano was said to have issued an apology but Binay contends Cayetano apologized only to the DPWH officials who showed proof that rising prices, supply issues and other unforeseen circumstances pushed up the costs for completing the NSB. The DPWH officials were supposed to be the ones facing the dock but it was Binay who eventually got Cayetano’s goat. Binay still waits for the apology but there is the distinct possibility that, like Godot, it will never come. Its birthing will be long and arduous, ethics chief Sen. Francis Tolentino may find out.
