Push Admin

Binay defends 'mamahalin' Osmak equipment

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="containing-block"><div class="outer-container"><script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://admin.brightcove.com/js/BrightcoveExperiences.js"></script><object class="BrightcoveExperience" id="myExperience4809794835001"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"/><param name="width" value="510"/><param name="height" value="350"/><param name="playerID" value="1880751799001"/><param name="playerKey" value="AQ~~,AAABtXvbPVE~,ZfNKKkFP3R9qoEvgz2KMCs8gaY-UGBkT"/><param name="isVid" value="true"/><param name="isUI" value="true"/><param name="dynamicStreaming" value="true"/><param name="@videoPlayer" value="4809794835001"/></object><script type="text/javascript">brightcove.createExperiences();</script></div></div><p>MANILA - Vice President Jejomar Binay on Sunday insisted that the government is entitled to buy quality equipment for the public -- even if it comes with hefty price tag.</p><p>Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Mar Roxas first raised the subject of allegedly overpriced equipment of the Ospital ng Makati (OsMak) when Binay&#x27;s wife, Elenita Binay, was still mayor of Makati. He said<br/>a Commission on Audit (COA) special audit report showed that the Makati government in 2000 and 2001 purchased medical equipment <a href="http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/10/02/14/osmak-equipment-overpriced-p61m-coa"><strong>overpriced by P61.2 million</strong></a> under the leadership of Mayor Binay.</p><p>The administration bet said the Binay government bought three sterilizers for P1,465,000.</p><p>Each unit was only supposed to cost P16,000 but was overpriced by P1.4 million, the COA report said.</p><p>Roxas also noted that the Makati government spent P7.9 million for ultrasound machines that were only supposed to cost P6.6 million each.</p><p>&quot;Sinasabi po ninyo na palpak at walang malasakit itong pamahalaan na ito... Hindi po ba ang isang taong walang malasakit ay isang tao na para sa Ospital ng Makati, para sa mga may sakit ay bibili ng sterilizer na P16,000 sa halagang P1.5 million?&quot;</p><p>&quot;Iyan po lumabas sa Senado, iyan po ay lumabas sa COA, iyan po ang habla sa Ombudsman ngayon.&#x27;</p><div><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/06/24/15/binay-pnoy-admin-palpak"><strong>Binay: PNoy admin &#x27;palpak&#x27;</strong></a></div><p>Binay, however, said the Makati government is entitled to buy pricey equipment for the hospital, adding that expenses should not be the basis for evaluating the quality of a purchase.</p><p>&quot;Iyung kaibigan mo, si Senator Trillanes, [nagsasabi] &#x27;Ito ang mahal-mahal nito.&#x27; Oops, alam mo, we are entitled to buy mamahalin kasi we have the best practice. Hindi ho sa presyo natin titingnan iyung kalidad ng binibili mo,&quot; he said.</p><p>He also said that the veracity of the COA audit, which he said only employed a table survey, is still in question.</p><p>The vice president also stressed that he has not been convicted of any crime and only a court of law can deem him guilty of any wrongdoing.</p><p>Binay and Roxas&#x27; heated exchange came in the heels of their discussion on the alleged graft-ridden construction of the Makati City Hall Building 2.</p><p>The opposition leader accused Roxas of heading a demolition movement against him, and likened the latter to Joseph Goebbels, the propagandist of Germany&#x27;s Adolf Hitler.</p><p>&quot;Kung ikaw, magsalita, magnanakaw, nasa bintang lang kung ano. Alam mo ikaw, Mr. Roxas, ikaw eh talagang, disipulo ka ni Goebbels. &#x27;Yun bang 1,000 lies ultimately eh, maniniwala ang tao na totoo. Ikaw &#x27;yun, ang disipulo nun,&quot; he said, following Roxas&#x27; comment on Binay&#x27;s alleged corruption.</p><p>&quot;Kilala po ninyo si Goebbels dahil binabasa po niyo siya at sinusunod po niyo siya. Hindi ko po kilala &#x27;yan,&quot; Roxas replied.</p><div><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/03/20/16/who-is-goebbels"><strong>Who is Goebbels?</strong></a></div>

MAMAHALIN: Vice President Jejomar Binay on Sunday insisted that the government is entitled to buy quality equipment for the public -- even if it comes with hefty price tag. 