MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Nancy Binay walked out of the Senate hearing on the apparent increase in the project cost of the new Senate building (NSB) after Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who led the inquiry, accused her of trying to sabotage it.

Cayetano, chairman of the Senate Committee on Accounts overseeing the NSB construction, called Binay names as soon as she walked out. "Nabuang ka na 'Day (Have you gone mad?" he said.

Binay was the former chairman of the accounts committee. Senate President Francis Escudero raised the need to review the budget for the construction of the NSB in Taguig City which ballooned to P23 billion from over P8.9 billion.

Binay, on the other hand, condemned Cayetano's "insinuations that members of the Senate media and radio anchors can be swayed or influenced by senators."

"This is an insult to members of the Senate media and an affront to the journalistic profession. We respect our colleagues from the media and uphold the ideals of press freedom," Binay said.

Read The Rest at :