Former senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson bared that the heated exchange between Senators Nancy Binay and Alan Peter Cayetano was "painful to watch" as it unfolded during a Senate panel hearing on the New Senate Building.
In a statement on Friday, July 5, Lacson said that while agrees to the necessity of conducting a public hearing by the Senate Committee on Accounts since the issue involves public funds, the ensuing exchange between his two former colleagues last Wednesday was "painful to watch, to say the least."
Providing a background to the issue on the NSB, after a lunch meeting requested by Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero who at the time just assumed his post, with former Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and Lacson himself, Escudero mentioned to them his plan to conduct a review of the price escalation which was from P8.9 billion to P23.3 billion.
"I initiated contact with Sen. Alan Cayetano and requested him that in the interest of a smooth transition and transfer of responsibility, while it was ultimately his decision to retain or terminate the Senate Coordination Team, it would be better if they briefed him first and get a lowdown on the status and other details of the ongoing construction, which I also did when Sen. Nancy Binay assumed as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Accounts," Lacson said.
The former senator also suggested that subject to their schedules, if Cayetano was amenable, he may be present if Cayetano and Binay would agree to meet regarding some possible issues on the ongoing construction.
His offer to mediate, according to Lacson, was a request from Binay after she visited him in his office with two of his former staff who now works in Binay's office. He said that Cayetano agreed to both although the meeting has yet to be scheduled.
"While a century-old dream for the Philippines Senate to finally have its own home, one that is iconic, secure, functional and green is about to come to fruition, it is sad that it is now perceived, rightly or wrongly, as another symbol of government abuse of public funds," he said.
Binay walked out of the hearing, which marked her first meeting with Cayetano since Escudero Escudero disclosed during a flag-raising ceremony last June 10 that there was a need to review the NSB, stating that the expenses needed for its construction ballooned to P23 billion.
Binay has since stated in several interviews that the P23 billion is false.
The tit-for-tat between Binay and Cayetano also centered on the total cost to construct the NSB. Cayetano insists that the P23 billion figure came from Binay's staff. Binay pointed out that the total "cost of construction of the building" is being discussed, but Cayetano argued it's the "total cost of the building".
Their discussion then went to Binay's statement a day before the hearing wherein she stated that she couldn't help but feel that the NSB review has something to do with Makati and Taguig City's territorial dispute.
Cayetano went on to accuse Binay that it was her who provided those kinds of questions for the media to ask.
Before Binay left, Cayetano still insisted that the total cost of the NSB was P21.7 billion and it became P23 billion because of the land acquisition, yet Binay said that acquiring the lot was not under the DPWH.
"On your end, nag-eexist ba sa documents nyo ang amount na P23-B? (On your end, does P23B exist in your documents?)" Binay asked.
DPWH Usec. Emil Sadain replied: "There is none, Mr. Chair".
"Thank you, Mr Chairman. I made my point there is no such thing as P23-B sa DPWH," she said before leaving.