Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Nancy Binay argue during the Senate hearing in Pasay City on July 3, 2024 on the review of the new Senate Building Project in Taguig City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA – Sen. Nancy Binay on Thursday said she was studying a possible ethics complaint against Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano after a heated hearing that saw them trading barbs over the cost of a new Senate building. 

Binay had  walked out of the hearing after Cayetano accused her of feeding questions to the media. He also called her “Marites”, a derisive term for a rumor-monger. 

“I have to talk to my staff kung kailangan ba mag-file ng complaint sa ethics [committee],” Binay said. “Pag-aaralan natin. I have to check with my legal team kung kailangan pa.”

“Based on the number of years naming dalawa, siya yung senior ko. So dapat siya nga yung mas alam niya yung how to conduct a hearing, yung pagiging statesman. Pero parang  kahapon, nagulat din ako na yung pangalan ko, from Lourdes ginawa niyang Marites,” she told TeleRadyo Serbisyo.   

Citing documents from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Binay earlier said that the cost of the new Senate building was around P21 billion, lower that the P23 billion that Cayetano reported. 

“Tuwing magpapaliwanag na yung DPWH, ‘pag hindi niya (Cayetano) gusto yung sagot, hinihinto na niya yung resource person. So basang-basa na, this is not about knowing kung papaano matatapos yung building,” Binay alleged. 

“Kasi makikita mo na parang mayroon na siyang conclusion, ang kailangan na lang niya ay mag-oo yung mga taga-DPWH para matumbok yung gusto niyang statement pagdating doon sa building,” she added. 

No allegation of irregularity on new Senate building

The senator claimed the Senate building issue could be an offshoot of the political rivalry between Makati and Taguig, strongholds of the Binay and Cayetano families, respectively. 

Cayetano in 2015 had led a Senate investigation into a Makati parking building, a project of Binay’s father, former Vice President Jejomar Binay. 

“The characters noong 2015, same ingredients, same senator. May building, may hearings… tingnan natin kung paabutin niya ba ito ng 27 hearings para ma-break yung record na ginawa niya noong 2015 sa pamilya ko,” said Sen. Binay. 

She added that the new hearing led by Cayetano was unnecessary and questions on the Senate building could have been addressed in a meeting, where reporters are also present. 

Binay calls out 'backstabbing' senator 'politicizing' new Senate building